There are two reasons we cook whole chickens. One, a whole chicken makes a great and easy meal right away. And two, it gives us leftover (delicious!) chicken that can be used for the rest of the week. This recipe is our favorite way (it’s so flavorful!) to cook a whole chicken, but there are many others too. And there are countless ways to use the leftover chicken that results from cooking one or more of them:

• Chicken Rice Bake

• Creamy Italian Chicken Noodle Soup

• The BEST Chicken Salad

• Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken

• Chicken Tacos

It is rare that we don’t have leftover chicken waiting in the wings to be used. It freezes well, and it’s a quick and easy protein source. And because you are buying the chicken and cooking it yourself, you know exactly what you and your family are eating.

• 4 pound whole chicken

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/4 cup white wine, (OPTIONAL) -- use a dry wine like a Sauv blanc or Chardonnay

• 2 lemons, halved

• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 head of garlic roughly peeled and cut in half horizontally through the middle crosswise

• 3 fresh whole rosemary sprigs

1. Preheat oven to 430°F

2. Either line a rimmed baking tray with foil (for easier clean-up), or lightly grease a Dutch oven or roasting pan.

3. Be sure you have removed any giblets and the neck from the chicken cavity.

4. Mix together the olive oil, melted butter, minced garlic, and the juice of a lemon. Pour this mixture over the chicken. Be sure to spread some of this mixture inside the chicken cavity and even under the skin. Season everything (inside and out) with salt and pepper. Use plenty…you want maximum flavor. Sprinkle in and out with chopped thyme.

5. Stuff the cavity with the rest of the lemon halves, the garlic head, and the rosemary sprigs.

6. If needed, tie the legs together with cooking string.

7. Place the chicken (breast-side up) in your roasting pan or tray. Roast for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes (the exact time will depend on the size of the chicken). Your chicken is finished when the juices are clear (try piercing the chicken thigh to check).

8. At the end, place under the broiler for a few minutes to give the skin a crispy, dark golden color.

9. Remove from the oven, cover, and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Helpful Tips

• Basting the chicken halfway through and again before removing from the oven can give the chicken extra flavor while keeping it moist.

• Don’t be afraid of the seasonings…the more the better!

• Use the pan drippings to make a fantastic gravy.

• Don’t throw out the leftover carcass yet…use it to make a flavorful chicken broth.

• Cook more than one chicken at a time…this is the easiest way to have leftover chicken for other meals.