Remove chicken from the fridge and let sit in the wrapper at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting. Preheat oven to 400F. Remove the neck from the chicken. discard neck or save to make soup stock. Cover the bottom of a roasting pan with foil. Place onions in the bottom of the pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper (or a spice blend such as Manitoba Chicken Spice or Montreal Steak Spice). Do not stuff.

Using cotton string (butcher string), tie the legs together and tie wings to the body. Place the chicken, breast side up, on top of the onions. cover loosely with a tent of foil and roast for 1 hour. Remove the foil tent, turn heat down to 350F and continue roasting until a meat thermometer inserted in the breast reads 180F/83C (about 30 to 45 minutes). Total cooking time will be approximately 55-65 minutes per kilogram or 23-30 minutes per pound.

Remove from the oven and transfer the chicken to a cutting board to sit, covered, at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the juices to settle. The internal temperature will rise another 5-10 degrees during this time. Pour the pan juices into a bowl. Put the bowl into the freezer to allow the fat to harden before making pan gravy. Carve the chicken and put pieces on a warm platter. Serve with pan gravy, mashed potatoes and vegetables.

PAN GRAVY

Skim hardened fat from pan juices. Add warm chicken stock or white wine to the juices to make 1 3/4 cups of liquid. Pour 1/2 cup of liquid into a sauce pan and heat. Stir in 2 Tbsp flour and cook for 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk the remaining liquid into the pan and stir cook until the mixture boils and thickens. Strain if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 2 cups.

Heritage Lane Farms roasting chickens are available at Miller's Meats and other butcher shops.

For a complete list visit the Manitoba Chicken Buying Guide.