I really don't think there is more cost effective way of feeding your family for a week than a roasted chicken.  I love chicken, and love roasting these little birds.  After you get all the meat off the bones, you can then make chicken broth, to make this stretch a little further!  So incredibly easy and cheap!  I probably roast at least once of these a month (ok, maybe twice this month), and just the meat alone will feed us for a least a week, not to mention all the dishes that can be made with the chicken meat!

I had always put a lemon inside the chicken when cooking, and one day, by accident, I put in a lime instead.  I love how it permeates the chicken, and the rosemary just adds to it!  Such a flavorful combination!

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Rosemary Lime Roasted Chicken

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1 -- 4-5 pound whole chicken

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 lime

salt/pepper

Rinse the chicken under water.  If there are any "parts" stuffed inside the bird, remove them.  I cook them in a saucepan of water, and feed them to my dog!  Feel free to toss them if you aren't going to use them.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  I use a broiler pan to cook the chicken on.  I like how it keeps the back side off the liquid, and will drip down into the bottom part of the pan.  You could use a roasting pan, or even a baking sheet!  You just want something with edges so it doesn't drip all over the inside of your oven..  that would not be fun to clean up!

If using a broiling pan, fill the bottom with 1 inch of water, and spray the top with nonstick cooking spray.

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I apologize if raw meat grosses you out … I go in phases with that.

Season all sides of the chicken (including inside the cavity) with salt and pepper.

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I used salt, fresh ground black pepper, and smoked sea salt!

Cut the lime in half, and place inside the bird, along with the rosemary.

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I do not bind the legs with string, or anything like that.  I could never get the tying part right!

Cover with aluminum foil.  I had a 5 pound chicken, and it cooked for just about 2 hours.  After the first hour, remove the foil to let the skin get brown and crispy.  The final cooking temp should be around 165 degrees in the thigh of the chicken (or 20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes). When you check the temperature, make sure you aren't hitting a bone with the thermometer, because that will throw the temperature off!  I also check the breast meat, which I cook to 180 F.

Nice and crispy!

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Let cool 10-15 minutes, and then carve the meat.

Chicken, barbeque sauce, and home baked oven fries!  Mmmmmmm

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Don't forget about the carcass!  I actually have mine in the crock pot boiling away right now to make some chicken stock!

Chicken soup, here I come!