MaryLee's Healthy Food and Easy Cooking - Roast Chicken

Hello again,

I have been talking about healthy eating and how you can lose weight without giving up foods you love. I have also been talking about how cooking does not have to be a chore nor does it have to be difficult.

Once you have started cooking a few simple meals then you may want to move on to a meal that appears to be a little more difficult to prepare but once you try it you will find it is not that difficult.

The trick is having the confidence to try. Look at cooking as an enjoyment rather than a duty or chore. A lot of times it is not the fact you can not cook it is because you have not tried or been shown how and it seems overwhelming.

Here is a meal that is a little more difficult to prepare but very enjoyable to eat. Roast Chicken

If chicken has been frozen be sure it is completely thawed before preparing.

Wash chicken thoroughly. This is something a lot of people do not like but it’s not hard to do, just rinse the chicken under cool water. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel and place in a roasting pan. Season inside the cavity and the outside of the chicken with pepper, or a dried melody of herbs and spices, then put fresh rosemary, thyme, sage and onion in cavity of bird.

Cover using either the lid or foil and place in oven at 325-350F (160 – 180 C) for (18 -20 mins per 450g (1 lb) + 20 min extra) Usually about 2 hours but the best way to tell if the chicken is cooked, using a knife stick it into the thigh area and if the juices run clear the chicken is cooked. If pink then continue cooking about another 30 minutes and check again.

Roasted potatoes will go well with this meal. With about an hour left to cook place washed potatoes cut in half around the chicken. Continue to cook covered then take lid off for last 20 minutes.

Serve with any vegetables you wish. (I prefer to steam my vegetable when possible)