Whole Oven Roasted Chicken

serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 3-4 lb organic chicken
  • 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon, washed and quartered
  • 1 medium orange, washed and quartered
  • 2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
  • 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
  • 1 small onion, quartered
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • rosemary
  • thyme
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1/4 c free range, low sodium chicken broth (or water)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450.
  2. Remove innards and rinse chicken thoroughly. Pat dry.
  3. Oil the bottom of an 8×8 dark baking pan.
  4. In a medium bowl, drizzle 2-3 T oil over fruit and vegetables. Lightly sprinkle rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper over fruit and vegetables and mix well.
  5. Rub chicken with remaining oil.
  6. Stuff chicken with fruit and vegetables and place in baking dish. Spread leftover fruit and vegetables around chicken. Pour broth around baking pan.
  7. Lightly dust outside of chicken with rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.
  8. Bake at 450 for 30 minutes. Baste with pan juices, then reduce heat to 300.
  9. Bake about 2 hours basting with pan juices every 30 minutes. Bake until a meat thermometer reads 165 in both the breast and between the thigh and wing.