pretty chicken

I craved two things this week: crispy chicken skin and chicken and vegetable soup. Solution: roasted chicken. I used this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa except that I omitted fresh lemons, garlic, and bacon. I've made the recipe before and it was fabulous, but it's just as great without those extras. I used a roaster that has the plastic pop up to let you know when it's done, and it turned out beautifully. Notice I took a little bite before snapped this picture (top right of first pic). I stood at the stove and stuffed myself with hot chicken when I should have been getting ready for coffee with Amber. I was quite proud of my cutting skills, though I didn't slice chicken thighs because I'm using both white and dark meat in my soup. The amount of cut chicken can't compare to the amount I pulled from the bones! Last time I roasted a chicken I completely butchered it to death, so this is a huge improvement. I didn't research how to properly cut a chicken, but I think the legs, wings and breasts look pretty recognizable...and delicious. I saved the carcass to boil for stock and I have a big ol' bowl of pulled chicken to use for soup and salads. I saved the juices but haven't made them into a gravy yet. I took a good long look at the bag of giblets, which are both gross and fascinating at the same time. I debated whether or not I should cook them for kicks, but the gross factor won and I threw them out.