Chile Spiced Chicken

The Stuff:

Chicken roaster (4-5 lbs)
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp chipotle chile pepper
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
olive oil

24 hours before you cook your bird remove it from it's packaging, pat dry and place on a plate (or rack over a baking dish) on it's own shelf in your refrigerator.  If you let the skin get completely dry, you get really crispy skin!!

Now you're ready to cook dinner:  remove the bird from the fridge and let sit at room temp for 25-30 minutes, this will ensure even cooking of the meat. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. 

In a bowl mix your chile spices, salt and pepper and set aside.  Place your bird in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil front, back and inside, coating throughly.  Using two fingers, separate the skin over the breast from the meat so that you can get seasoning under the skin.

Take spice mix and season the chicken inside the cavity and then under the skin over the breast meat and then rub down the entire bird with whatever is left.  Tie up the legs with twine and fold the wings back under the bird so that the meat cooks evenly. 

Bake the chicken for 45 minutes at 425 and then lower the heat to 375 and roast until the temperature in the thickest part of the tight registers 165 degrees, approx. 45-60 minutes more.  If your chicken has the plastic popper, don't wait for it to pop, if you do the chicken breast will be dry!!