Like my mama, I love a good roasted chicken. She’s always said it’s one of her favorite foods (along with Thanksgiving turkey) and now that I know how to make it right, I know why! I found this recipe a few years ago and fell in love at first bite. I buy rotisserie chickens regularly because they’re so convenient and my kids will devour the meat right off the bone. Now I can make a chicken just as tender, more flavorful, and without a lot more effort at home! It takes a little planning since the chicken roasts low and slow in the oven. But the prep is minimal and the result is worth it. We’ve also used this recipe to smoke a whole chicken on our Traeger Grill (a new purchase that we’re just getting the hang of) and it was also fantastic. 

Oven Rotisserie Chicken

INGREDIENTS

1 (3-5 lb.) whole chicken
5 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 lemon, quartered
2 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
3 Tbsp. olive oil
kitchen twine

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Remove the giblets from the cavity of your chicken and dry it well with paper towels. Stuff the cavity with garlic and lemon quarters.
3. 3. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, brown sugar, chili powder, black pepper, garlic powder, and cumin.
4. Carefully run your fingers under the skin on the breast of your bird. Rub the breast underneath the skin with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and teaspoon of the spice mixture. Rub the remaining 2 tablespoons olive on the chicken’s skin, and season the bird all over with the remaining spice mixture. When you’re finished with the spicing, tie the legs together with kitchen twine and place the bird breast side up in an oven poof skillet or roasting pan (your choice!).
5. Roast the chicken for 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours (depending on the size of your bird), basting at the 1 1/2- and 2 1/2 hour marks (no need for a baster- just spoon any juices in the pan over the bird) or until the meat is very tender and the skin is dark brown. (Don’t panic if the skin has blackened in some spots. That’s a good thing.)
6. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

Adapted from Half Baked Harvest