I love a good whole roasted chicken for a relatively effortless weeknight dinner. Yes, Publix does make some amazing rotisserie chickens and I do occasionally cheat and buy those but I still prefer to cook a whole chicken at home myself.
This recipe uses a brown grocery bag to roast the chicken. The bag keeps moisture and steam inside and creates a juicy bird. If you have at least 24 hours brine the chicken which will make it even more tender. I cooked this one pictured with out brining and I was very pleased with the results.
The results are a perfectly roasted chicken which is moist and tender.
This recipe is adapted from Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen cookbook.
Serves 4 adults
Ingredients
- 1 (3-4lb) whole fryer chicken, gizzards removed
- 1/4 cup red or yellow onion large dice
- 2-3 sprigs thyme or rosemary
- 4 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 medium paper grocery bag
- butchers twine
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425ºf
- Combine salt and paprika in a small bowl and mix well
- Rinse and pat chicken dry
- Season entire chicken with salt/paprika seasoning making sure to coat it all around. Sprinkle some inside the cavity
- Stuff chicken cavity with onions and herbs
- Place inside paper bag and close with butcher string. If you do not have string then fold bag closed and tuck under chicken.
- Roast in middle rack for 1.5 hours. Thermometer should read 165ºf when inserted in thickest part of thigh.
Notes
Some have expressed concern about cooking in a brown paper bag. As of this post I could not find any conclusive studies which showed that any chemicals leach into the food. I have cooked this recipe numerous times with no issues and will continue to. If this concern you and you want to achieve similar results use plastic oven roasting bags which you can find in the grocery store.
I have made this and I have baked turkey this way also. Wonderful results, love it. I dont usually eat poultry very much, find it too dry but this way is super moist and tender. Its the only way to go.Libby
What a neat Idea, I’ll have to try this. As far as concerns about cooking in paper, it would be more ‘natural’ than cooking in a plastic baking bag, as it’s just brown paper pulp. But if someone were really worried, I suppose they could make a pouch out of parchment paper. No one could argue that parchment is not safe for cooking.
This might also reduce the fat spray and splatter I get when I oven roast chicken. Gets all over the sides and then I have to scrub! Thanks again for the idea.