Brown Bag Chicken

This is a strange but amazing technique for cooking a whole chicken. My brother first introduced me to this recipe and I have been sold ever since. You just have to get over your initial fear of burning your house down and then you will be too. The secret weapon you ask? A regular brown paper bag from your grocery store. This bag cooks the chicken so it is moist on the inside but has golden and crispy skin. Yuummmmy! If you don't believe me.... look at this!

See how can you resist that? I'm salivating just looking at it. Here's how it's done.

Brown Bag Chicken

One 3-3/12 pound chicken

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 onion cut in half

Garlic cloves to taste

1 tablespoon of paprika.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Move around the shelves so there will be enough room to place the chicken in the bag so it is not touching any sides. This is important! Also make sure your broiler is not on.

2. Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Sprinkle with the amount of salt and pepper that you prefer. Place the onion and garlic cloves inside the chicken cavity. Rub paprika on outside of chicken.

3. Lay the paper bag on its side and place chicken inside. Tie the top of the bag with cooking string. Place bagged chicken on cooking sheet with rims and put in oven.

4. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. After removing chicken from oven, carefully open bag to release steam. Here you can check to see if the chicken is done. The best option is to not open bag unless you know it is done. You can adjust cooking time for bigger birds.

5. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting.

6. Eat!

The raw bird going to die....

All bundled up in the bag.

Cooked to perfection!

The second most amazing thing about this recipe, besides the bag, is the ability to make it your own. If you prefer different seasonings, then go for it! This would definitely impress dinner guests and it is so simple.

Dinner is done!