Walter's Favorite Roast Chicken

Growing up, we rarely ate chicken. When we lived on my grandparents’ farm, we often shared meals with my Grammy and Papa—and my Papa hated poultry. One bad Thanksgiving was all it took for him to swear it off for life.

Years later, when I was looking for a way to provide healthy protein for my own kids—on a small half-acre lot in town—I landed on chickens.

They fit our space, I already knew laying hens, and their short grow-out meant I could raise several small batches a year without buying another freezer just for them. Win-win.

But once we raised and butchered our first birds, I ran into a new problem:

What do you actually do with a whole chicken?

I didn’t grow up cooking them, and grocery-store cuts were about the extent of my experience. After hours of searching (and lots of “research and development”—read: many roasted chickens), I finally landed on a foolproof recipe my family loves every single time.

It's simple, forgiving, and sooo delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 whole Iron Oaks Farmstead chicken

• ½ stick butter, room temperature

• Salt & pepper

• Sage & parsley (dried or fresh)

  • About 2 Tbsp dried or up to ½ cup fresh, chopped

• 2–4 cloves garlic, minced(Who really measures garlic? Trust your heart.)

  
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. In a small bowl, mix butter, salt, pepper, herbs, and garlic.

3. Pat the chicken dry, then generously rub the butter mixture all over.

4. Place the chicken in a roasting pan and cover.

5. Roast for 30–35 minutes with the lid on.

6. Remove the lid and roast 15–20 minutes more, until the skin is golden and crisp.

   
   

The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

That’s it. Simple, nourishing, and perfect for beginners.

I hope your family loves it as much as mine does—please let me know how it turns out 💛

From my kitchen to yours,

Brianne

Iron Oaks Farmstead

info@IronOaksFarmstead.com

386-209-6150

P.S. Need a chicken to try this recipe? We have whole, pasture-raised chickens available from Iron Oaks Farmstead. Send me a message and I’ll let you know what we have ready