Apple & Herb Roast Chicken
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Dana:
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 whole roasting chicken, 3-4 lbs
  • 1 small apple, cored and diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 Tbsp poultry seasoning (or chopped herbs from 2 sages leaves, 1 sprig thyme and rosemary)
  • 1 tsp ghee or coconut oil
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp coarse sea salt (I like using applewood smoked salt)
  • ½ tsp pepper (AIP: omit)
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 450F.
  2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, inside and out. The drier it is before you cook it, the more crispy skin you’ll have at the end!
  3. Mix the diced apple, onion, and herb blend with 1 tsp coarse sea salt and ½ tsp pepper in a small mixing bowl. Stuff as much of it as you can inside the chicken.
  4. Use 4 little metal skewers (or twine) to pin the legs and wings as close to the bird’s body as possible, so it stays juicy, cooks evenly, and the stuffing doesn’t fall out: close the opening at the back, pin the wings down to the breast by sticking a skewer through each of them to the center of the bird. Do the same with the thighs.
  5. Season all sides of the chicken with 1 Tbsp salt and about ½ tsp pepper by sprinkling it from 6 inches above the bird to ensure an even coating. This will ensure it has an even coating. Try not to get the salt all over your counter.
  6. Pat down the salt and pepper with your hand so it sticks to the chicken skin.
  7. Prepare a large cast-iron skillet or roasting pan by smearing 1 tsp cooking fat on the bottom. This will ensure the bird doesn’t stick to your pan.
  8. Place any extra apple-onion stuffing you had in the pan to create a small bed for the chicken.
  9. Place the chicken in the pan breast side DOWN, backbone UP. Trust me on this one. The juices from the backbone will run down to the rest of the meat and make sure you don’t end up with dry, tasteless, overcooked chicken breast.
  10. Pop your bird in the oven once it’s preheated. Roast it and leave it ALONE for about 50-60 minutes, until a meat thermometer stuck in the hip joint of the bird registers 165 degrees F.
  11. Take the bird out of the oven and baste it with a some of the pan juices. Move it to a cutting board and let it rest under some tinfoil for 20 minutes before you cut into it. Then all your delicious juices (read: flavor) won’t run out!
Recipe by Dana Monsees Nutrition at https://www.realfoodwithdana.com/apple-herb-roast-chicken/