Chiggy Picken

How to make a delicious roasted chicken.
~ As opposed to how to make a disgusting roasted chicken... that would be a waste of time.

Ingredients:

1 Whole Chicken - Our youngest daughter gets very excited every time we purchase a whole chicken.  For some reason her 3 year old mind thinks it looks like a piggy and therefore she calls it a "Piggy Chicken".  By the time it makes it to the table she is so beyond herself with excitement the name has turned into "Chiggy Picken"... and made even more delicious because she is so happy.

1 medium onion sliced - I tend to prefer sweet onions
1 package of fresh poultry herbs ~or~ if you have a lovely herb garden, cut yourself a handful of Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.  If you want to make it taste even better you should sing while you gather.
1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1 lemon cut into wedges
Kosher Salt

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees

So let me tell you how I handle my chicken...  I let it set on the counter (in its wrapper) and get close to room temperature.  I then unwrap the chicken, remove the organs and pretend I never saw them. Then give the chicken a quick rinse in WARM water.  If your chicken came with one of those plastic pop up thermometers, throw that jerk away.  He isn't nearly as clever as he thinks he is.  Pat Mr. Chicken dry with paper towels and then salt generously inside and out with Kosher Salt.  Line your baking dish or roasting pan with the sliced onion and place salted chicken on top.  I then rub half of the butter under the skin of the bird and then place the other half in the chicken cavity.  I also stuff the cavity with the lemon and the bundle of herbs.  I roast the chicken at 450 degrees for 15 minutes and then decrease the oven temperature to 350 and continue to cook for 20min per pound.

If you find that your chicken skin is getting too dark - tent with foil and continue to cook.  Do not decrease the oven temp.  *Always make sure you cook your poultry to an internal temp. of 165 degrees