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.

•Spicy Cherry Chicken Recipe

There's something special about the combination of sweet and spiciness that really tweaks the palate. Tart cherry preserves, spicy ground chipotle chile powder, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard come together in a unique basting sauce for whole roasted chicken. I like to make this in the clay cooker, but I've also provided instructions for cooking the chicken in a traditional Dutch oven or covered roaster. Prepare to drool!More »

•Orange Rosemary Chicken Recipe

Roast chicken can be rather plain-Jane at times, but fresh oranges and rosemary raise this whole baked chicken to an entirely new level. The orange zest and rosemary flavor the outside as well as infusing flavor from the inside. The bird is stuffed with rosemary, orange, onion, carrots, and garlic, then roasted on a bed of the same fruit and vegetables. It's a real winner!More »

•Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Recipe

If you are tired of dry, dull baked chicken, try this method. The bacon keeps the chicken breast moist. It also lends a nice flavor, along with the sage, thyme, and spice rub.More »

•Baked Buttermilk Chicken Recipe

The buttermilk tenderizes the chicken, keeps it moist, and adds a slight tang. The fresh tarragon lends a faint anise flavor to the chicken.More »

•Spatchcock Herb Orange Chicken Recipe

I'll bet you've never heard of spatchcocked chicken. It is the method of removing the backbone from a whole chicken so it can be cooked flat, but otherwise still in one piece. Wow your friends and family with your knowledge by making this simple recipe using oranges, thyme, and rosemary for flavoring. A compound butter is used to keep the breast meat moist. Fast and easy to put together, then just bake in the oven.More »

•Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic (Clay-pot) Recipe

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.More »

•Lemonade Chicken Recipe

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.More »

•Peach Butter Chicken Recipe

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.More »

•Crockpot Orange Chicken Recipe

This recipe is for a whole orange chicken cooked in the crockpot, not an Asian-style dish. The chicken is flavored byoranges, 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.More »

•Oven Beercan Chicken Recipe

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.More »