How to Cook a Whole Chicken

In this era of ready-made meals and and busy schedules, roasting a whole chicken to feed the family is often overlooked. Whole chickens are an economical choice, simple to cook and tasty when prepared properly. And once you learn how to cook a whole chicken, you will never go back to pieces.

Determine the size of the chicken you need. They are priced by the pound, and are usually between 3 and 5 pounds, although chickens up to 7 lbs. are also available.

Cooking roasts in a cooking bag helps the meat to retain its juices, making a more flavorful meal and meaning easy cleanup after dinner. Purchase a cooking bag that is the appropriate size for the chicken that you purchase, leaving enough room to add vegetables to the bag.

Why Cook a Whole Chicken At Once

Purchasing a whole chicken is the frugal way to shop. Comparing the price of a whole chicken price pound for pound with chicken parts, you are always better off with a whole chicken. Although a portion of a whole chicken’s weight is from the bones, you can use those as a base to cook a delicious home-made broth.

Roasting a whole chicken is also a great time saver. Rather than being stuck in the kitchen endlessly prepping a meal, you can place the whole chicken into the oven, after a little bit of preparation, leaving you free to do other things while the dish cooks.

The healthiness of the final dish depends on what you serve it with and how you prepare it. But you cannot go wrong with a recipe like this one that delivers a roasted chicken with all the moisture and flavor and little of the fat.

Roats chicken with vegetables

Roast chicken in a bag

This recipe is simple and requires little skill or preparation. Experiment with different vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes or fennel.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Remove any giblets from the chicken, and rinse well under cold, running water, paying extra attention to the inside of the chicken. Pat dry with a paper towel. Rub spices, like marjoram, oregano, rosemary, salt, pepper or a premixed grilling rub, all over the skin of the chicken. Place in center of the cooking bag.

Cut two large onions and three medium bell peppers into equal-sized chunks. Place the vegetables in the bag, along with 2 tablespoons of water to help keep the vegetables from burning. Close the bag and seal tightly.

You can cook the chicken immediately, or place in the refrigerator for several hours to allow the spices to infuse into the chicken.

Place the bag with the chicken and vegetables into a roasting pan, and place in the center of a the preheated oven. Roast at 375F for 20 minutes per pound of chicken, plus an additional 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F. Allow the chicken to stand for 5 to 10 minutes before carving.

For best results, use the last 20 minutes of the cooking time to allow the skin of the chicken to brown. Cut the top of the bag open to allow the heat to reach the chicken directly.

Make the dish even healthier by draining some of the fat. Carefully punch a small hole in the bottom of the bag, and let the fat drain out into the sink or a bowl. Reserve the liquids for gravy, if desired.

The Health Benefits of a Bag Roast

Chicken is a naturally healthy meal option, assuming you do not add additional fats or salt, and you remove the skin. Four ounces of roasted chicken contains a mere 184 calories, with only 36 of those calories from fat.

By cooking the chicken and vegetables in the cooking bag, the natural juices from the chicken keep the vegetables moist, eliminating the need to add additional fats, and providing a healthy, flavorful meal for your family.