'Spice Drawer' Roast Chicken

When you have company coming there is nothing as basic and fulfilling as a whole Roast Chicken. I decided to simply open the spice drawer and grab what was appealing.

The kids helped by first mixing all the spices together as a dry mixture and then mixing with the oil. They also enjoyed and giggled while the oil mixture was brushed all over the chicken. They stopped laughing when the smoke alarm went off during the second basting. Good to know we have a sensitive alarm.

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp. rubbed sage

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. rosemary leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 tsp. ground coriander Seed

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

6 tablespoons olive oil

4.5 lb. Organic whole chicken

Directions (adapted from Mark Bittman, How to cook Everything, 1998)

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees

2. Remove giblets, rinse and pat chicken dry. Place the chicken on rack in roasting pan, breast side down and begin roasting.

3. Mix all dry ingredients (first 7) in a bowl. The add garlic and oil and mix again. Rub/Brush the mixture on and place chicken into oven.

4. After 22 minutes, I brushed some of the herb/oil mixture over the chicken and then turned the chicken breast side up. and baste some more.

5. Roast the chicken another 9 minutes, turned the heat down to 325 degrees and basted again.
6. Roast until thermometer says 160-165. Remove and allow to sit at least 5 minutes before cutting.