Lynne's Vertically Roasted Chicken

This recipe is from our Splendid Cheap Eats collection of affordable recipes. Browse the collection.

Serves 2 to 4; figure on 3/4 to 1 pound of chicken per person. I make this using the Spanek Vertical Roaster, www.spanek.com.

Two tips: When seasoned with sweet flavorings the skin tends to blacken. I don't mind, but some people might. And use organic ingredients if at all possible.

6 large cloves garlic
1/2 tightly packed cup fresh basil leaves
shredded zest of a large orange
1/4 cup of juice from the orange
generous pinch hot red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 1/2 pound frying chicken (organically raised with no antibiotics or hormones preferred)

1. Remove the oven's second rack. Set the remaining one on the lowest possible level. Preheat to 450.

2. By machine, or by hand finely chop together all the ingredients except the chicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Rinse and dry the chicken. Slip about 2/3 of the seasonings under the skin. Rub the rest all over the bird.

3. Set the Spanek Vertical Roaster in a shallow cake pan. Push the chicken down onto the wire tower so its top comes up through the neck cavity. Add about 1/4 inch of water to the pan. Cross the bird's legs, and place in the center of the oven.

4. Set a timer for 10 minutes to the pound, plus 10 minutes (45 minutes for a 3 1/2 pound-chicken). If the bird is just out of the refrigerator, add another10 minutes to its cooking time.

5. When time's up, let the bird rest 10 minutes at room temperature. Then serve right on the roaster. Carve by cutting away the legs and thighs, the wings and then the breast meat and wish bone.

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