Juicy Roasted Chicken

Dish Description
My grandmother’s recipe for roasted chicken. We are German and she used to do it this way all the time. I never have had a chicken this juicy before; this little trick works and makes the people eating it go silent. It’s funny. We nibble on the celery after.
Ingredients
  • 1 (3 pound) whole chicken, giblets removed
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder, or to taste
  • 1/2 cup margarine, divided
  • 1 stalk celery, leaves removed

Directions
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Place chicken in a roasting pan, and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Sprinkle inside and out with onion powder. Place 3 tablespoons margarine in the chicken cavity. Arrange dollops of the remaining margarine around the chicken’s exterior. Cut the celery into 3 or 4 pieces, and place in the chicken cavity.
  • Bake uncovered 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove from heat, and baste with melted margarine and drippings. Cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest about 30 minutes before serving.