Some days need comfort food. Roasted chicken is one of those classic dishes. It warms your body and soul. This recipe took a lot of experimenting to figure out. The results, I think, produce a moist and flavorful bird with crispy skin…just how I like it.

Roasted Chicken

Prep time 10-15 minutes, Cook time 60-75 minutes

Ingredients

• 4.5 pound whole chicken
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled

Directions

Take the chicken out of the refrigerator a half hour prior to cooking. Remove giblets from the cavity and rinse it with cold water (exterior and cavity). Pat with paper towels to dry. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Line the bottom of your roasting pan with the sliced onions. Think of it as a fragrant bed for your chicken. Place chicken on top of onions, breast side up. Liberally salt and pepper the cavity of the chicken. Next, roll your lemon on a cutting board, exerting pressure to allow juices to flow more freely, and pierce the lemon’s entire surface with a fork (It’s a magical lemon diffuser; trust me.). Then, put the lemon, garlic, and sprigs of fresh thyme into the cavity of the chicken. I recommend adding the lemon into the cavity last so it acts as a plug to keep the moisture inside. Pour olive oil and liberally rub salt. pepper, and dried thyme on the exterior of the chicken.

Place chicken in the oven and roast until golden brown and the juices run clear,  approximately 60-75 minutes. When the chicken seems done, use a meat thermometer and make sure the internal temperature reads 180 degrees F for the breast. Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes prior to carving so the juices can settle. Now enjoy and get your comfort food on!