Chicken x3

(For a large family, I would make two chickens instead of one.)

Roast Chicken
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 onion, quartered
1 (4 pound) chicken

In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remove giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken cavity and pat dry with paper towel. Rub the chicken inside and out with spice mixture. Place onion into the cavity of each chicken. Place chicken in a resealable bag or double wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4-6 hours.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place chicken in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 5 hours, to a minimum internal temp of 180 degrees. Let stand 10 minutes before carving.

*If I don't have time, you don't have refrigerate the chicken and you can cook it at 350 degrees for 2 hours. Also, the chicken turns out perfectly if you roast it breast side down and turn it over for the last 25 minutes or so.

*After we have the roast chicken for dinner, I pick off most (but not all) of the leftover meat and save it for another meal - like chicken enchiladas or chicken rolls. I then make chicken stock from the carcass.

(These containers work great!)

Chicken Stock
1 chicken carcass
8 cups water
1 large onion
3 stalks celery
3 carrots
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. fresh ginger
salt

Place all ingredients in a large pot. Cover and simmer on low for 1-2 hours.

*This can cook down a lot and I sometimes add extra water depending on how it looks. After letting the stock cool, I measure it out into containers or baggies and freeze them. Make sure you write how much you put in the container. It comes in handy when you are cooking with it later. (I learned that the hard way.)