Flawless Roast Chicken with Sweet Onions
his chicken, from Scramble fan Sandra Swirski, is the perfect solution to those days when you’re running around until dinnertime. You can prepare the chicken anytime during the day and bake it a couple of hours before dinner is served or make it right in your slow cooker. No matter which way, it’s delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 sweet yellow onion such as Vidalia or Walla Walla halved and cut into half rings
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, sea salt, or other coarse salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 whole roasting chicken 5 - 6 lbs.
- 2 lemons quartered
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lay the onions in a roasting pan, stir in 1 Tbsp. oil and about ¼ tsp. each of salt and pepper.
- Remove the giblets from inside the chicken, drain the cavity, if necessary, and season the cavity with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Stuff the lemons in the cavity, squeezing them a little as you put them in.
- Put the chicken, breast side up, on top of the onions. Rub the remaining oil on the skin of the chicken, and season it with about 1/4 tsp. each of the salt and pepper.
- Bake the chicken for a total of 90 minutes (or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast all the way to, but not touching, the bone reaches 165 – 180 degrees), removing it from the oven and basting it after 1 hour.
- Let the chicken rest for 10 - 15 minutes before slicing it, if time allows.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Follow the directions above, but instead of baking the chicken and onions, put them in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Halve and slice the onion, quarter the lemons, prep, cover, and refrigerate the chicken.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Sprinkle about ¾ tsp. dried herbs such as rosemary and thyme over the uncooked chicken.
Tip: If you like a crispier chicken skin, don’t baste the chicken while it is roasting.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values): Calories 300, Total Fat: 16g, 25%; Saturated Fat: 4g, 18%; Cholesterol: 125mg, 42%; Sodium: 450mg, 19%; Total Carbohydrate: 2g, 1%; Dietary Fiber: 0g, 0%; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 36g
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