There’s no reason to feel deprived on Thanksgiving! Even if you’re by yourself or serving just a few folks, you can still enjoy all of the standards but with a smaller bird. This simple roast chicken is as basic as it gets, but can be fancied up in a whole myriad of ways. To infuse the bird with even greater flavor, simply rubber-band together a few fresh herb sprigs- sage, rosemary and thyme for instance – and place them inside the cavity of the bird (remembering to first remove the giblet bag!), along with a peeled, quartered onion and some garlic cloves. Stupendous! Or create your own dry spice or herb blend, rubbing it into the bird’s skin before roasting. Following the same easy recipe, you can create variations to suit a whole variety of tastes. Low sodium, salt free and full of taste.
Serves 6.
SODIUM CONTENT: 292 mg per serving
INGREDIENTS
1 whole roaster chicken (approx. 4.5 lbs), washed and patted dry
2 1/2 T. olive oil
2 t. Bell’s salt-free seasoning blend (sold in many supermarkets nationwide and online)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chicken in a small roasting pan. Brush the bird all over with the olive oil, then sprinkle liberally with the Bell’s seasoning. Place the bird in the pan, breast side UP, then place pan on middle rack in oven and roast 1 hour. Check on the bird’s progress after 50 minutes have elapsed – if the bird is not browning sufficiently, raise the heat to 500 degrees for the last 10-15 minutes or so. Once the bird is a nice golden brown color, remove from oven and place the pan on a rack to cool. Allow the bird to rest at least 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
