This is a recipe my wife started using a couple of months ago. The entire family loves it. It’s simple and we think more flavorful. The difference is in the oven temperature.

1.       2-3 pound chicken, trussed (buy a natural chicken)

2.       Salt and pepper

3.       3 cloves garlic

4.       3 springs of thyme

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. While the oven is coming up to temp prep the chicken. First remove the giblets from the chicken. Wash the chicken inside and out then pat dry very well with paper towels. Place the thyme and garlic in the chicken’s cavity. Season the cavity then the exterior of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a roasting pan or a large ovenproof sauté pan. Make sure the oven is preheated then place the chicken in the oven. Bake until done for 40 minutes -1 hour or until the chicken at it thickest part reaches 165 degrees F. Let it rest for 10 minutes then slice.

I never cooked chickens at this high temp until now. I love the rich flavor it produces.

Trussing a bird is important. It helps the chicken maintain its moisture.