Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

• Becker Farms whole chicken--thawed (allow approximately 4 days to thaw in the refrigerator)
• few teaspoons of canola or olive oil
• salt and pepper
• Optional: celery salt, fresh or dried rosemary, juice and zest of 1 lemon, 2-3 cloves of garlic, 1 TBSP butter

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425F. Place chicken on a rack in a roasting pan (or cast-iron skillet).
2. Lightly coat the chicken with the oil of your choosing (you can rub it in using a paper towel or your hands).  Sprinkle generously with the salt and pepper (if you are using celery salt, cut back on or omit the regular salt).  Sprinkle with dried rosemary if using.  If you are using the other optional ingredients, add them here--I like to cut an opening under the skin at the neck of the chicken to place the mixture of the butter, minced garlic, fresh rosemary, lemon juice and zest.  Once you add this mixture under the skin, you can rub it on the breast meat of the chicken from the outside of the bird.
3. Bake for 15 minutes per pound of the chicken, plus an additional 15 minutes (ex. a 5-lb chicken will take 90 minutes); check for an internal temperature of 165F.  I will often loosely tent foil over the chicken for the last 20 minutes or so, if the chicken is getting a little too brown.
4. Serve with your choice of side dishes and enjoy!