Oven-Roasted BBQ Chicken (The Best)
Ingredients
- 1 chicken, about 3 lb (1.5 kg)
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
Chicken
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) ketchup
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) paprika
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) celery salt
Barbecue Seasoning
Preparation
Chicken
- Sprinkle entire surface of chicken with salt, with an emphasis on legs and breasts. Place in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 days.
Barbecue seasoning
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 190° C (375 °F).
- In a bowl, combine ketchup and butter. Gently lift skin from breasts and thighs, without tearing. Spread butter mixture between meat and skin.
- In another bowl, combine all spices. Sprinkle spice mixture over entire surface of chicken. Place back in the baking dish (see note). Roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the thigh without touching bone reads 82 °C (180 °F). Baste with pan juices halfway through cooking. Keep chicken warm.
Note
When roasting a whole chicken, use a fairly large baking dish because, if it is too small, there will be an accumulation of cooking juices and chicken won’t roast very well.