Sunday Roast Chicken

I love the smell of roast chicken! To me it is the perfect spring meal. So today, still in the midst of winter, we had a day that from inside the house looked like a beautiful spring day, but if you stepped out the door you were blasted with what seemed like arctic winds. (I know it wasn't that bad, but we are all suffering from cabin fever and ready for spring to arrive in Utah already.) We celebrated spring around our dinner table.  Along with our roast chicken we made strawberry and spinach salad, potato salad, blue jell-o (this was the 3 year old's contribution and she was so proud of herself for doing it!), and fresh rolls.  It was delicious!  It was the kind of meal that made you feel as if you could make it a few more weeks before the weather turned warm.   

Our favorite Sunday Roast Chicken

1 whole chicken, thawed, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 cup of compound  butter
1 lemon, sliced thin.
Salt and pepper to taste

1.First things first, take 4 large sheets of aluminum foil and roll them into balls, place them in the bottom of the crock pot.

2.Slice compound butter in 1/4 inch thick disks.  Place your hand in between the skin and meat of the chicken, pulling the skin up just a little.  Slide the slices of butter, and lemon slices in between the skin and meat.  Salt and pepper the top and inside the cavity of the chicken.  Toss some of the lemons and butter inside the cavity as well.  Tie it up the legs with bakers twine. 

3. Place the chicken on top of the foil balls.  Replace the  lid on the crock pot and set on low for 6-8 hours. 

Remove from crock pot and let it rest for a few minutes before carving.  The skin might split, but for me that is okay, we just toss it out anyway.