Roast Chicken

There is nothing quite like a roast chicken dinner... except maybe roast turkey!
This is definitely a comfort food that Alex and I both love, and over a few years and many different recipes, I think I have perfected the chicken: crispy skin, juicy meat, and lots of savoury flavour! The prep for this meal is really quick and easy, cooking time for a normal fryer-sized chicken (about 3-4 lbs.) is 2 hours, give or take 10 minutes.

Roast Chicken
1 whole chicken, 3-4 lbs.
1/4 cup Herbs de Provence
1 heaping TBSP salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the Herbs de Provence (you can get this spice mix in almost any grocery store), salt, pepper and olive oil in a small bowl, let sit for about 20-30 minutes so the herbs have a chance to moisten and release some of their flavours into the oil.
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Loosen the skin from the breast and legs, and pour most of the herb mixture under the skin and rub it over the meat, be sure to save some to rub all over the outside of the chicken, this will make the skin crispy.
Put the chicken on a wire rack and in a deep roasting pan (the juices and oil will spit all over the oven if you don't), do not cover, put in the oven and set your timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes is up turn the heat down to 325 degrees and set your timer for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Don't take the chicken out, and try to resist the urge to open your oven, if you want to see it turn on the light, it should be browned very nicely after the first 30 minutes. The point of the first 30 minutes is to cook the chicken at a high temperature so the outside cooks quickly and seals in the juices.
Once the last 90 minutes are up, take the chicken out and use you meat thermometer to check the temp and make sure is cooked thoroughly (don't overcook it though, otherwise it will be dry).
**Let the chicken sit for 10 minutes before you cut into it, this will allow the juices to settle, making the meat tender and juicy**
Carve and enjoy!

I like to serve my roast chicken with homemade mashed potatoes and my "Everything Salad" take all the veggies you have in your fridge and make a salad with it. I also like to add random things like dill pickles, pepperocini's, and a boiled egg! I have made this salad many times and it never disappoints. Serve with 'Renee's Poppyseed Dressing', that is the best. I also recommend Ranch or Creamy Cucumber on this salad, but other than those 3, I haven't found a dressing that suits the salad so well.