Spiced Roast Chicken

A whole roasted chicken is one of the most useful things you can make in the elimination phase. One bird feeds you for days, and the carcass becomes broth, so nothing is wasted. On a long protocol, having cooked protein already in the fridge is what keeps you from reaching for something off-plan when you are tired and hungry. This is the meal that buys you those easier days.

Chicken gives you complete protein and a real source of zinc and B vitamins, both of which are involved in immune regulation and in steady energy. The rub here is built from garlic and carob, which carry the dark, almost roasted depth that the original recipe got from coffee, without bringing a seed into your elimination phase. Roasting the whole bird slowly keeps the meat tender and lets the skin crisp.

Source the chicken from a farm you trust, and let yourself feel the weight of using the whole animal, meat first and then bones for broth. When it comes out of the oven golden and resting, take a breath before you carve. A bird like this is worth slowing down for.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, around 6 lb
• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon carob powder (in place of the 3 tablespoons finely ground coffee in the source; carob is Core, coffee is not)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (added for the savory depth the coffee gave; optional)
• 0.5 tablespoon honey
• 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
• black pepper omitted (excluded on Core)

Method

Stir the coconut oil, carob powder, minced garlic, garlic powder, honey, and salt together into a loose paste. Pat the chicken dry and rub the mixture all over the skin and into the cavity. Wrap it and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight so the flavor sets in.

When you are ready to cook, bring the chicken close to room temperature and heat the oven to 375 F. Roast about 20 minutes per pound, which is roughly 2 hours for a 6 lb bird, basting with the pan juices every 30 minutes so the skin stays glossy and dark. The chicken is done when a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast reads 165 F. Let it rest a full 30 minutes before carving so the juices settle back into the meat. Save the carcass for broth.

Instant Pot variation

For a faster, hands-off path, sear the rubbed bird breast-side down using the Saute setting to color the skin, then lift it out, add 1 cup of water and a trivet, set the chicken on the trivet, and pressure cook on high for about 6 minutes per pound (roughly 35 to 40 minutes for a 6 lb bird), with a 15-minute natural release. The skin will not crisp under pressure, so finish it under a hot broiler for a few minutes if you want color. Pressure time is an estimate and untested here; check that the breast reaches 165 F.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*