I went back and forth on what to post today, like, a bajillion times. A BAJILLION.

Because it's a LooOOOoOOoOOng weekend and I'm all like COCKTAAAAILLLLSS I should post DRANKKKKKSSS.

all. the. dranks.

and…. here we are looking at butter. which i barely even enjoy as a food. I DON'T EVEN LIKE BUTTER. what the heck?!

okay, here's the deal.

I realized you guys are all going to be going crazy with your dranks and probably won't have tons of time to meal prep. ammirite? can i get a “you know me!”?

to make your life a little easier, here's what I'm bringin ya: ROASTED CHICKEN – two ways!

because (a) it's DELICIOUS and (b) it's sooooo easy. you're going to be hitting yourself on the head saying “why did I wait soooo long?”

annnnddd now it's a Wednesday morning and you're staring at raw chicken. i'm so sorry. so VERY, very sorry. SHIFT THOSE EYES TO THE RIGHT AND LOOK AT THE GOLDEN GOODNESS. imagine it cooking in your kitchen!

I totally get it if i scared you off with the raw bird. i was scared of the bird my first time too. real birds are SCARY.

how do you cook them?! what do you do?! do you have to kill it yourself? it's all going to be okay. stop freaking out. i'm going to tell you allllll about how to do it. promise.

remembah that pic ^ ??? it's totally recycled from the roasted chicken soup post. I am ashamed. But i didn't have any pics representing the everyday way.

the everyday way is exactly what it sounds like. it's very similar to how i did it for the soup, but without fresh herbs and a little more streamlined. It's SUPER fast. I'm talking you can get the entire thing done (prep and all) in an hour. do it a few times and you'll see.

the worst part of this experience is cleaning the bird (i.e. pull out any feathers. I KNOW. it's not awful I swear). after that you're home free! Just pat this baby down with some paper towels and rub in the oil and spices and pop that sucker into the oven and BOOM. done.

The garlic butter chicken is what i go to when i'm feeling… indulgent? You really can tell the difference. having the butter under the skin lets the garlic/rosemary/buttery flavor soak into the meat. it's cray. fo realz.

and the skin is all flakey and crispy and ughhhh. we all know the skin is my favorite part. I can't get into it today or i'll never stop. but… JUST LOOK.

sigh.

so once you “dress” the chicken whichever way you're making it, just throw it in a small baking pan! yup, straight onto the bottom of the pan. mine is a glass pyrex one I think. I don't use anything to raise it up, nope justttt throw it in there and it'll all be okay. hell won't freeze over.

OH OH OH. i also learned how to “carve” my chickens by watching youtube videos. Just definitely don't try to carve it until it has cooled. You WILL burn yourself. the bones and the meat is HOT. so be careful!

Roasted Chicken Two Ways!

Author: Ashley Renee
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Scale

Ingredients

everyday roasted chicken

1 3 1/2 pound roasting chicken
grapeseed oil
fresh cracked black pepper + garlic powder +kosher salt + chile powder + italian seasonings

garlic butter roasted chicken

1 3 1/2 pound roasting chicken
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced
grapeseed oil
fresh cracked black pepper + kosher salt + fresh thyme + fresh parsley

Instructions

To roast the chicken

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the chicken from the packaging and clean if necessary. Don't forget to remove the giblets and loose parts from the cavity (it's totally okay to use tongs if you're squeemish). Pat the chicken down with paper towels to dry it thoroughly.

for the everyday chicken

Rub the bird with grapeseed oil and sprinkle the spices as desired all over the bird. Rub the spices in thoroughly (even if you feel silly! just pretend you're giving it a massage or something).

for the garlic butter chicken

Mix together the butter, minced garlic, minced rosemary, a pinch of salt, and pinch of pepper.
Take half the butter mixture and stuff it under the skin of the chicken. I find it easiest to slide my fingers under the skin first to separate it from the meat and make it easier to rub the butter mixture in. When you're stuffing the chicken with the butter mixture focus on the breasts and the legs, but also try to get it in anywhere you can under the skin.
Take the remaining butter mixture and rub it over the top of the bird. Drizzle a light amount of oil over the bird and sprinkle with the pepper, salt, thyme, and parsley. Rub the spices and oil into the skin of the bird, try to spread the butter so it isn't all clumpy!

cooking the bird (for either method)

Place the bird in a small roasting pan with the breasts on the bottom of the pan. Try to tuck it all together, with the wings underneath the chicken's body. I don't tie up the legs or anything, but if that's your deal go for it! Roast the bird for approximately 60-70 minutes.
The chicken is done when a meat thermometer reads at least 165 degrees, or if the juices by the thigh run clear.
Allow the chicken to cool, approximately 10 minutes. Carve it up and serve!