Roasted Whole Chicken

Instructions

1. Choose how to prepare your chicken. If you'd like to spatchcock for a slightly faster cooking time (45 mins.) feel free to do so now. If you prefer to cook your chicken whole, please proceed to step 2.

To spatchcock a bird, use a sharp knife to cut along both sides of the chicken spine, separating it from the ribs. Then, flip the chicken so the breasts face upward and press along the middle of the chicken until you hear a crack.

2. Pat the chicken dry.

3. In a bowl, mix the butter, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper.

4. Pull the skin up on your chicken and put the butter underneath the skin. Rub it into the meat of the chicken.

5. Put olive oil on the outside of your chicken and season it with the same seasonings used previously.

6. Slice both the onion and lemon in half. Place the onion and lemon halves onto a large baking sheet, preferably one with wire racking, and lay your chicken on top of them.

7. For both cooking processes, the chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees before fully cooked. If spatchcocked, bake at 375 for 45 minutes. If whole, bake at 375 for 60 minutes. Cook times may vary depending on the size of the bird.

8. As soon as you take the chicken out of the oven, heat Main St Bistro Baked Scalloped Potatoes per package instructions.