ROASTED GARLIC CHICKEN

Prep Time: 2 Hours
Yields: 6 Servings

Comment:
One of the largest settlements in the city of New Orleans is Little Italy. The Italians operated the produce and truck farming industries in Louisiana. Often, garlic chicken was sold at the market by these farmers. When selecting a bird for this recipe, choose the largest of the fryers in the 5–6 pound category. The whole fryer chickens tend to be more tender and juicy than the larger baking hens.

Ingredients:
1 (5–6 pound) whole fryer chicken
12 cloves garlic, divided
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste
¼ pound butter, divided
1 medium onion, quartered and divided
2 celery stalks, halved and divided
2 carrots, peeled, sliced and divided

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the giblets tucked inside the body cavity and set aside. Season chicken inside and out with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Over-season inside of cavity since only a small amount of these spices will affect the chicken’s flavor. Inside bird cavity, place 4 cloves of garlic, ⅛-pound of butter and half of onion, celery and carrots. Place chicken in a deep roasting pan. Rub breasts with remaining butter. Tuck the wings under the back and tie legs together with kitchen string to keep them in place during the cooking process. Arrange reserved giblets, remaining garlic, onion quarters, celery and carrots on the bottom of roasted pan around chicken. Insert a digital thermometer into the breast and cover chicken tightly with aluminum foil. Cook 1 hour or until thermometer reads 165°F. Once fully cooked, remove foil and cook 15 minutes or until chicken is golden brown.