Kittencal's Best Juicy Whole Roasted Chicken

Total Time: 25 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 24 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 (3 1/2-4 lb) whole chickens
• 1/4 cup warm melted butter
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon seasoning salt (can use less)
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder (use if you are a garlic-lover or use onion powder) (optional)
• fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons cold butter, divided
• 1 onion (cut into quarters)
• 1 large celery rib, coarsley chopped (can use a large whole lemon or two in place of the celery, see option on recipe heading)
• 2 (10 ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth (makes a good base for gravy and stops the drippings from burning, can use more if desired)

Recipe

• 1 wash chicken well with cold water inside and out.
• 2 pat dry using paper towels.
• 3 in a bowl mix together 1/4 cup melted butter with vegetable oil, then rub all over the outside of the chicken.
• 4 season the inside of the chicken with salt and black pepper.
• 5 season the outside of the chicken with seasoned salt, black pepper and garlic powder (if using).
• 6 place the chicken into a glass dish; cover top of the dish tightly with plastic wrap.
• 7 for best flavor cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• 8 stuff onion quarters, chopped celery and/or a whole lemon/s and 2 tablespoons cold cubed butter into the cavity of the chicken, then tie legs together with butcher's twine or heavy cotton string.
• 9 place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan (for extra juicy breast place breast side down on rack).
• 10 pour the low-sodium chicken broth into bottom of the roasting pan (keeps drippings from burning and makes a good base for gravy).
• 11 tent loosely with heavy foil.
• 12 set oven to 350°.
• 13 roast for about 1 hr and 10 minutes, basting with juice/liquid from the bottom of the roasting pan.
• 14 uncover and roast for about 20 minutes more (uncovered) or until internal temperature reaches 180°.
• 15 remove from oven and let rest (covered with foil) for about 20 minutes before carving.