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Vertical Roasted Chicken

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Roasting chicken vertically creates the most golden and crisp exterior, with juicy and tender meat on the inside and the crunchiest chicken skin all around. 

Ingredients

Scale

1 whole chicken

salt, ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 Tablespoon dry spices and herbs, poultry seasoning, etc.

1 1/2 Tablespoons melted butter, or oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions

Season the chicken on all sides and inside the chicken cavity with salt, ground black pepper and spices/herbs. You can use any combination that you like, such as Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, taco seasoning, Herb de Provence, dry thyme, rosemary, parsley, granulated garlic/onion, etc. You can also add some paprika, curry powder, and/or a bit of cayenne pepper to make it spicier.

Marinate the chicken overnight, storing the chicken in the refrigerator. If you don’t have extra time, you can just season the chicken and bake right away, but the chicken will have more flavor if it has time to marinate.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 

If you are using a can or glass jar, fill it 1/3-1/2 way with water or broth. For added flavor, you can add some onions, garlic or herbs to the liquid, which will steam up and permeate the chicken as it bakes.

Fit the chicken cavity down over the can or the bundt pan. Roast in the preheated oven. 

If the chicken wing tips start to get too brown before the chicken finishes roasting, cover them with aluminum foil. Roast until an instant read thermometer reads 175 degrees in the center of the thigh and 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the breast meat. It can take anywhere from 1 1/2 hours – 2 hours, depending on the size of your chicken and your oven. The thermometer is the most accurate way of knowing when the chicken is ready. 

Meanwhile, melt the butter or use oil and mix with the minced garlic. 

When the chicken has just a few minutes left of roasting, take it out of the oven and brush with the butter and garlic mixture. 

Roast just until the meat is done cooking and the chicken is golden brown and crisp on the outside. 

Take the chicken out of the oven and rest for about 15 minutes before serving. Remove from the can before slicing.