Here in the midwest we had quite the snowstorm last night, and flakes are still falling today.  I braved the unplowed roads to get all the makings for a perfect roast chicken dinner.  After shoveling the driveway, the boy and I were more than ready for a hearty meal.  Also a side effect of shoveling the driveway was that I was completely exhausted, so I went with the simplest roast chicken possible.  Roast chicken is kind of a staple at our house.  It feels fancy and special occasion, but is really simple.  Also, once it goes in the oven, it requries no attention.  In the summer I use fresh herbs from the garden, but in the winter dried herbs work just fine.  Served with braised kale, roasted potatoes, and a glass of wine, this was a lovely meal for a dark and snowy night.  Last night I added a teaspoon or so of ground coriander, which was pretty good.  Play around!

Another plus of this meal is that as long as you have gluten-free spices in your pantry, it’s automatically gluten-free.  And with food this cozy and comfy, who’s missing the gluten?

A final note.  I’ve become obsessed with making chicken stock.  It’s so easy!  Ok, the way I make it is easy.  Follow the link at the bottom…for real, it’s easy and so worth it!

Basic Roast Chicken

1 3-4lb whole chicken
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, quartered

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine oil, spices, and garlic.

Remove giblets from chicken (save for stock if desired).  Rinse chicken inside and out.  Place in roasting pan and pat dry.   Gently separate the skin from the breast of the chicken with your fingers.   Rub the oil and spice mixture under the skin, rubbing any extra over the top of the skin.  If you have a lot of extra oil mixture, place it inside the body cavity.   Place the quartered onion inside the chicken.  If you have kitchen twine, tie up the legs.  (I never have twine, and I never tie up my bird.  The world has yet to come to an end.)  Tuck the wing tips under the bird so that they don’t burn (or cover them with foil).

Roast chicken for 1-1 1/2 hours, until juices run clear and thermometer inserted between thigh and body reads at least 165 degrees.

The Whole Snowstorm Meal:
Roasted Potatoes with Garlic
Braised Kale with Pancetta

Easy Homemade Chicken Stock

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