Spicy Roasted Chicken

This easy spicy roasted chicken recipe is my idea of comfort food. Slow-roasting a whole chicken in the oven creates juicy, flavorful meat and is incredibly tender. The seasoning rub is a tad spicy, but not so spicy that my kids can’t eat it. I love making this whole roasted chicken recipe when we have friends over for dinner because it’s easy to prepare, tastes amazing, and there’s little cleanup. I served this spicy roasted chicken with a mixed vegetable sauté and garlic rice. It was a fantastic meal that we all loved.

Spicy Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 (4½ – 5 lb) whole chicken, patted dry
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 6-8 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 3 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Olive oil cooking spray

How to Make a Spicy Roasted Chicken

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Rinse chicken and empty cavity if needed. Pat the entire chicken with a paper towel until very dry.

Place the onion and garlic inside the cavity.

Make the seasoning rub by combining the salt, thyme, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper in a small ramekin.

Rub the seasoning over the entire bird, and sprinkle some in the cavity with the onions and garlic.

Spray the bird with olive oil cooking spray.

Place chicken on a roasting tray in a cast-iron skillet or large roasting pan. Push the meat thermometer into the thigh of the bird, making sure not to touch the bone.

Roast uncovered for 3½ – 4 hours until the meat thermometer reads 165-170 degrees.  Side Note: I start basting my bird after 2 hours, and repeat every ½ an hour. My chicken turns out sticky and slightly crispy. If you want the skin to be crispy, do not baste for the last hour of roasting.

Remove from the oven and let the bird rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Enjoy!