Whole chickens are much less expensive than pre-cut chicken parts. The key is in learning how to roast or bake a whole chicken. These recipes use different methods and seasonings, but you are sure to find one that appeals to you. Beginning with a whole chicken is quite easy and you will enjoy the savings on your grocery bill. Many of these recipes are adaptable to chicken parts if you like all dark or all white meat. Use a meat thermometer to be sure the internal temperature (thermometer not touching bone) reaches 165 F. Keep in mind that white meat will become dry and chewy when over-cooked.
Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Recipe
© 2010 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Baked Buttermilk Chicken Recipe
© 2010 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
The buttermilk tenderizes the chicken, keeps it moist, and adds a slight tang. The fresh tarragon lends a faint anise flavor to the chicken.
Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic (Clay-pot) Recipe
© 2010 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Do not fear the large amount of garlic in this recipe. Garlic cloves are nutty and mellow when cooked whole. Once you try it, you may end up adding even more garlic, because they are so delicious. This classic chicken recipe includes vegetables for a meal in one pot. If you do not have a clay cooker, you can use a large covered Dutch oven and reduce the oven temperature to about 375 F.
Lemonade Chicken Recipe
© 2010 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Unlike some recipes for lemonade chicken that use frozen lemonade concentrate, this recipe begins with a homemade marinade made with fresh lemon juice, honey, and ginger. It is not overly sweet like some versions, but packs a lot of flavor with the perfect balance of sweetness, tang, and spice. As an added bonus, the marinade also tenderizes the chicken. It is easier and less expensive to use a whole chicken that you cut up yourself, but feel free to use chicken parts to suit your purposes.
Peach Butter Chicken Recipe
© 2010 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
This roasted chicken recipe is simple to make using a peach compound butter flavored with sage and thyme. The peach butter inserted under the skin not only adds flavor, but also keeps the breast meat moist and juicy. If you have some peaches getting a little long in the tooth, this is an excellent way to use them up.
Crockpot Orange Chicken Recipe
© 2010 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
This recipe is for a whole orange chicken cooked in the crockpot, not an Asian-style dish. The chicken is flavored by oranges, sweet onion, and an allspice compound butter spread between the skin and the flesh. This helps keep the white meat moist. Place the whole chicken in the crockpot with little preparation and forget about it until dinnertime if you can ignore the scrumptious aroma. Instructions are also given for cooking this chicken in the oven.
Oven Beercan Chicken Recipe
© 2010 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Beercan chicken is a popular outdoor grill recipe, but it is not feasible for everyone nor at any time of the year. The solution is this easy beercan chicken made in the oven. It is incredibly moist, tender, and flavorful. The only thing you may miss is a slightly smoky flavor that naturally comes with a grill. I think you will really enjoy the spice rub, so double or triple it to keep on hand. Although I have used some leftover sangria here, your choice of liquid for the beercan (or soda can) is limited only by your imagination.
Basic Beer-Can Chicken Recipe
© 2010 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
This delicious chicken dish is also called "beer butt chicken." The method involves placing a (beer or soda) can of liquid up into the cavity of the chicken, then roasting. The liquid inside the can boils forcing flavor up and through the meat. Try experimenting with various fruit juices, wine, broth, or soda in the can instead of beer. Tomato paste cans work for cornish hens. You can purchase can stands to make the bird more stable. This method may also be used in the oven, but do not attempt to smoke food indoors.
Turducken Recipe
© 2006 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
This is the ultimate recipe using a whole chicken...and a duck and a turkey! What is turducken? It is a chicken stuffed inside a duck which is then stuffed inside a turkey. The term turducken comes from the combination of tur(key), duck, and (chick)en. It's fast becoming a popular recipe for Thanksgiving. Each slice contains portions of chicken, duck, and turkey with stuffing in between the layers. Plan on adequate preparation time. Turducken is not difficult to make, but it is a little time-consuming. The end result is a worthy show-stopper. Browse through the Turducken Recipe - Step by Step Photo Instructions before you begin.
How to Debone a Chicken - Step by Step Recipe
© 2005 Peggy Trowbridge, licensed to About.com, Inc.
When you remove the bones from the poultry, you can fill with even more stuffing yet still put it back together so it looks like an intact chicken. These photos show you how to debone a turkey, but the method is the same with all poultry. As you can see from the photo, your guests will not be able to tell the poultry has been deboned.
More Chicken Recipes
© 2010 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
These recipes use fresh whole chicken, fresh chicken parts, ground chicken, cooked chicken and chicken leftovers. Many can be adjusted to use turkey or other poultry in place of chicken.
