A Favorite: Mimi's Sticky Chicken

One of the easiest recipes on the planet and it can't be screwed up. For those who hate to cook, or don't have the time, or the patience or have never really cooked before, this is the recipe for you.

About 10 years ago, when I finally went online, I became addicted to a site called Mimi's Cyber-Kitchen. I loved the request board and spent hours discussing food. I found it fascinating. I also befriended Mimi Hiller, the owner of the site.

She had a recipe on the site called Mimi's Sticky Chicken. At the time, I was an ok cook, not great. I had run out of ideas. I was married for 9 years and had run out of ideas for during the week. I also was not that great at cooking chicken.

When I found this recipe, and had heard how easy it was, I had to try it. It became a standard for awhile. Then I forgot about it when I started buying cookbooks.

Now I have a huge collection of cookbooks and an even larger collection of recipes printed off the computer. A few weeks back, I went looking for my copy of the recipe and couldn't find it. I went online and got it.

Last weekend, I bought a whole chicken. Last night I started the process and tonight we ate it. It was delicious and so easy to do.

Here it is:

Mimi's Sticky Chicken
Mimi's Cyber-Kitchen
Serves 4

2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 tsp onion powder
1/3 tsp thyme
1/3 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 whole roasting chicken, about 3 lb
1 cup onions (I use a whole chicken cut in half)

Combine all spices in small bowl. Rinse chicken, inside and out. Drain well and dry off with paper towels. Rub spice mixture all over the skin and inside the chicken cavity. Under the skin is good too.

Place in a resealable plastic bag (ziploc) and refrigerate overnight. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 250 degrees F (yes, 250). Stuff cavity with onion.

Place chicken breast-side-down in roasting pan. Pour in some chicken broth if you have it.

Roast uncovered in 250 degree oven for 5 hours (yes, 5 hours!). When done, the internal temperature should be between 155 and 180 to be fully cooked. Check by taking a knife and making a slit where the leg moves. If it comes out with no red, from blood, then it is done. If there is some red, then cook for a bit longer and try again.

Baste occasionally with pan juices or when juices begin to caramelize on the bottom of the pan and chicken is golden brown.

This is soooo easy and so delicious.

Risa's notes:

I didn't have 6 hours tonight so I cooked it for 3 hours at 250 and then I raised the heat to 350 and cooked it for another hour. It was just perfect. I added some chicken broth when I raised the heat and basted it (without the broth there was no jucies to baste with).