ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 1/3 c. Mezzetta® Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 small white onion, halved
- 2 bay leaves
- 16 oz. Chicken broth or water
- 1 jar Mezzetta® Sundried Tomato Sandwich Spread
preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile, wash chicken thoroughly with water and pat dry. Liberally season the chicken with salt and pepper on the outside and in the cavity. In the cavity of the chicken, place onion halves and bay leaves. Drizzle inside and out with olive oil and rub into chicken for an even coat.
Truss chicken legs with butcher twine so the chicken is tightly held together.
Place chicken in a roasting pan on a rack. Add some water or chicken stock under the roasting rack. Roast in the oven until the thick thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees. Depending on the weight and size, the chicken will take about 3 hours. Near the end of baking time, liberally baste the chicken with sandwich spread to create a nice outer coating.
After chicken is fully cooked, remove from oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes before cutting. More sandwich spread can be spooned on before serving or used as a dipping sauce on the side.
*Chef’s Note: to cut down on cooking time, purchase chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken and follow same instructions as above. Substitute any of your favorite Mezzetta Sandwich Spreads for this recipe.
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