Remove fresh or fully thawed chicken from the fridge and let sit in the wrapper at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.  Do not rinse chicken before roasting.

Preheat oven to 400F.  Line a roasting pan with foil; place onion halves in the bottom of the pan.

Check cavity of the chicken for the neck and giblets.  Remove if there.  The neck can be saved to make chicken stock for gravy, otherwise throw out the neck and giblets.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Do not stuff chicken.

Using cotton kitchen string (butcher string), tie the legs together and secure the wings to the body.  Place the chicken, breast side up, on top of the onions.  Tent loosely with foil and roast for 1 hour.

Remove foil, turn heat down to 350F and continue roasting until a thermometer inserted into the breast reads 180F.  Total cooking time will be about 23-30 minutes per pound (55 – 65 minutes per kilogram).

Remove chicken from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board.  Tent chicken with foil and let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the juices to settle before carving.  The internal temperature will rise another 5-10 degrees during this time.

Keep roasted onions warm until ready to serve.  Pour liquid from the roasting pan into a bowl.  Put the bowl in the freezer to allow the fat to harden before making gravy.

Carve the chicken and put the pieces on a warm serving platter.  Serve with Onion Gravy, mashed potatoes, roasted onions and other vegetables.

Onion Gravy

Skim the hardened fat from the pan juices and pour juices into a measuring cup.  Add warm wine or chicken stock to make 1 3/4 cups.  Pour 1/2 cup into a saucepan and heat.  Whisk in 2 Tbsp. flour; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Gradually whisk in the remaining liquid; stir cook until mixture boils and thickens.  Strain gravy if needed.  Season with salt and pepper.  Makes about 2 cups.|Remove fresh or fully thawed chicken from the fridge and let sit in the wrapper at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.  Do not rinse chicken before roasting.

Preheat oven to 400F.  Line a roasting pan with foil; place onion halves in the bottom of the pan.

Check cavity of the chicken for the neck and giblets.  Remove if there.  The neck can be saved to make chicken stock for gravy, otherwise throw out the neck and giblets.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Do not stuff chicken.

Using cotton kitchen string (butcher string), tie the legs together and secure the wings to the body.  Place the chicken, breast side up, on top of the onions.  Tent loosely with foil and roast for 1 hour.

Remove foil, turn heat down to 350F and continue roasting until a thermometer inserted into the breast reads 180F.  Total cooking time will be about 23-30 minutes per pound (55 – 65 minutes per kilogram).

Remove chicken from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board.  Tent chicken with foil and let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the juices to settle before carving.  The internal temperature will rise another 5-10 degrees during this time.

Keep roasted onions warm until ready to serve.  Pour liquid from the roasting pan into a bowl.  Put the bowl in the freezer to allow the fat to harden before making gravy.

Carve the chicken and put the pieces on a warm serving platter.  Serve with Onion Gravy, mashed potatoes, roasted onions and other vegetables.

Onion Gravy

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