Roasting: If you have a roasting pan, put the chicken on the rack. If you don’t have a roasting pan, then don’t sweat it. Just put it, breast side up, in a dark metal 9×13 pan. Roast for 20 minutes at 450 degrees, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting for about another 40 minutes. Baste every 10 minutes or so with the juices for a moist, flavorful bird. Remove from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer to check right where the leg connects to the body. Let it rest for about 20 minutes before carving.
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS
Put the chicken in the slow cooker on low for about 6 to 8 hours. The disadvantage of the slower cooker is that you won’t get crispy skin because the appliance can’t get hot enough to do it. You could always pull it out when it’s finished and roast it at 500 degrees for 15 minutes, or put it under a broiler to get that crispy skin. The difficulty you might run across is that your chicken will be fall-off-the-bone tender so remove it from the slow cooker carefully.