Tender Baked Whole Chicken

Baking a chicken is pretty easy.  It is also one of my favorite make ahead meals.  Nobody likes a dry chicken so I will share my recipe for baking a perfect moist whole chicken every time you make it. Another great thing about baking a whole chicken is that you can start it early in the day and it bakes for a few hours while you do other things.

Baked chicken goes with a lot of things. I often make sandwiches with the left overs.  I also have it with rice dishes and with salads.  The only problem with this chicken recipe is that my family eats it too fast and sometimes I have to make two.

 

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For another great recipe, try my Moist Baked Salmon in Sherry Sauce here: https://majorgates.com/recipes/moist-baked-salmon/

 

Ingredients For Tender Baked Whole Chicken

• Whole Chicken (insides removed or get a frying chicken)
• 6 thin slices of Butter
• Olive Oil
• 1 yellow onion (medium)
• Salt
• Seasonings: granulated garlic or garlic powder, dried parsley flakes, Tony Chacheres Creole seasoning, Spanish paprika, Goya Adobo All Purpose seasoning, coarse black pepper

Supplies

• Foil
• Baking Pan
• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Serving Platter – Optional

 

Directions For Tender Baked Whole Chicken

• Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Take the butter out of the fridge and set it on the counter.
• Next, line the baking dish with heavy foil with a large piece. So it should be large enough to cover the whole bird.
• Now, rinse off the chicken in the sink and shake off the excess water in the sink.  Then place the chicken in the baking dish on the foil.  Next, spray the sink with antibacterial spray to wash away any bacteria.

 

• Next, cover the chicken by sprinkling olive oil all over the skin.  I like to drizzle the olive oil and rub it in with my hands.
• So after you wash your hands, slice the butter in small slices.

 

• Now you salt the chicken.  So pour some salt into your hand.  This should be about a teaspoon.  Then sprinkle all over the chicken.  Pour a little more and salt the inside cavity of the chicken.
• Wash you hands again. Sprinkle all the seasonings on both sides of the chicken and rub the seasonings evenly with your hands. I start with the back side so when I flip the bird over the seasonings are on the breasts and when it bakes it looks good.

 

• Cut the onion into four large pieces and stuff into the cavity of the bird.

 

• Then you will lift the skin on some parts from the bird.  You do this by taking your fingers and gently lifting the skin from the breasts and then the back side.  Be careful not to rip the skin.
• Next, take the cut pieces of butter and stuff it under the skin.

 

• Then cover the bird with the foil and bake for 3 hours.

 

• After 3 hours check the chicken with a fork.  When you poke the chicken breasts the juices should run clear and the fork should come out clean.  If the fork is stiff to remove or the juices are pink, it needs to cook for another 30 minutes or so.  The chicken will cook faster if you use regular foil instead of heavy foil so I would reduce the time by 30-45 minutes.
• If the chicken is done, bake for another 10 minutes, uncovered so it can brown a little on the top.

 

• Once you take it bake out of the oven, cover the chicken with the foil again and let it rest for 10-15 minutes so the juices can redistribute.
• Now it is ready to eat!  Enjoy!

 

Try this with my recipe for sliced potatoes and onions here:  https://majorgates.com/recipes/sliced-potatoes-and-onions/

 

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