Dancing Chicken...

or what other people call Roast Chicken.  Son 1 came up with the name Dancing Chicken and it stuck.  I guess because it is a whole chicken and somehow the drum sticks and wings look like arms and legs.  Anyhoo, my recipe started out as Barefoot Contessa's Roast Chicken Recipe, but it has evolved over the years into something new.  Well as new as a roast chicken recipe can be, which really isn't very new.

Ready to start

I start out with an organic chicken.  Sometimes I use a regular roasting pan, but today I used a disposable tray.  If I do use a real roasting pan that I'll eventually have to clean, I line it with foil.

On the plate you will find all the goodies I put inside the bird's cavity or where all the guts came out as Son 2 likes to call it.  First I liberally salt and pepper the inside.  Then I put in sage and a lemon or two from my yard and rosemary from my neighbor (thanks A!), I also cut a head of garlic in half cross ways and stick it in as well.

Notice that I have the bird breast down, I do this because the breast meat comes out super juicy and we don't eat the skin anyway.  After the cavity is stuffed I poured some olive oil over the top of the bird and spread it around using a cooking brush.  Lastly I salt and pepper the outside.

I don't cook vegetables underneath the chicken anymore because my dear husband complained that they were too greasy.  So I roast the vegetables in a separate baking sheet.  Tonight I roasted butternut squash with a bit of olive oil and salt, delicious!

risotto still cooking

I also tried out a risotto recipe.  It was ok, but I think I will keep looking for a better recipe.  It's not worth posting here.

chicken out of the oven and resting

As always the kids surprised me.  Daughter loved the butternut squash, Son 2 the risotto and Son 1 the chicken.  At least there was something for everyone.