Chicken, it can be cooked in about any way imaginable and is a favorite meat for many. Everyone has their favorite way of preparing it and their favorite cut of meat they prefer to eat.
The possibilities for eating chicken are pretty much endless. Usually you will see chicken prepared by cuts such as breast and thighs or an order of wings. What about the whole chicken?

I have eaten chicken about any way it can be prepared, but have never really loved it. Aside from my grandmother’s fried chicken I was never really a fan of it, and my family rarely ever ate it for dinner.
This was until I stumbled upon this super easy and super delicious recipe, The Brown Bag Chicken. This is the easiest recipe to prepare for baking a chicken. My family, myself included, love it!
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or a baking sheet
- Brown paper bag
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- salt
- pepper
- 1 onion cut into halves or quarters
- 1 tbsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp Rosemary or any other seasoning your family likes optional
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 Celsius).
- Rinse your chicken under cold water.
- Pat the chicken dry, I use a paper towel and then discard it.
- Remove excess fat, if there is any.
- Sprinkle the whole chicken, inside and out with salt and pepper.
- Place the onion halves inside the chicken.
- Add the butter and any other spice you are using to the inside of the chicken.
- Sprinkle paprika all over the whole chicken. You can pat it to stay but not necessary.
- Place the whole chicken into a brown paper bag.
- Place the bagged chicken into the cast iron skillet or onto the baking sheet.
- Tie or fold the bag closed, this will help keep in moisture.
- Bake for 1h 30' to 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 Celsius) to be sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
- Serve warm and Enjoy!
Notes


Sarah Rodriguez is a homesteading wife and mother of five living in Appalachia. She grew up in a homesteading and logging family.
She and her husband Arnie work their 10-acre homestead together alongside their growing family. Sarah honed her self-reliance skills through 4-H and FFA at an early age and is now teaching her children to live off the land, raise livestock, and the importance of both sustainability and frugality.
I use large paper shopping bags to bake my turkey this way. I tip, wear gloves and butter the inside of the bag, sprinkle spices, then insert bird into bag, tie and bake. Your family and friends will thank you for the best chicken or turkey they’ve ever eaten.