• Take the chicken out of the fridge and let it rest on the kitchen counter while you prep everything else. Pat dry and remove the innards (you can use this to make stock, minus the liver).

  If you have a big chunk of fat like this near the cavity, don't throw it away! I'll show you what to do with it later.
  
• Mix the spices together to make our seasoning, and set aside 1.5 tbsp. Most of this seasoning will be used to sprinkle over the entire chicken, and the rest will be used to season the stuffing.
  
• Prep the stuffing ingredients: cut into 1 inch chunks, mince the garlic, and split your butter into 3 tablespoons.
  
• In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp butter and saute the onions until lightly browned. Then add some of the seasoning we set aside for the stuffing. Brown a little more, then remove from heat and repeat these steps again with the celery, then the apples.
  
• Once the apples are nicely browned, add the onion and celery back into the skillet along with the rest of the seasoning (total used 1.5 tablespoons), and minced garlic. Continue to saute over medium heat to brown a little more. When the bottom of the skillet has some good brown bits, deglaze with apple cider vinegar and make sure to scrape all that flavor at the bottom.
  
• Let it cool completely before stuffing the chicken.
  
• You may use butter to spread under the chicken skin if you prefer, but I like this method that my good friend taught me- use the chicken fat near the cavity! This chicken had a good chunk of fat that could be easily ripped away, but most of the time I have to cut off the two fat pieces to the left and right of the tail.

  Season them generously and place it under the skin like you would with butter. They will completely melt and spread throughout the whole chicken, adding incredible flavor and also helping the skin crisp up a bit more.
  
• Spray or spread 1 to 2 tbsp of olive over all over to coat the chicken. Then using the rest of the seasoning, sprinkle over the entire chicken. Make sure to get it in every nook & cranny. When the stuffing is cool enough, put as much as you can into the cavity then use butchers twine or folded foil to truss the legs.
  
• Put the rest of the stuffing into your roasting pan and a little bit of white wine, water, or chicken stock. Don't put too much in the beginning (about 1/8 inch high in the pan) we need it to evaporate so that the bottom gets brown and glossy which adds so much flavor!
  
• Place the chicken onto a rack on top of the roasting pan. Alternatively, you can use the skillet you browned the stuffing in (preferably cast iron) and use a rack to place the chicken on top of.
  
• Roast at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, uncovered, and not too high in the oven. A little over halfway through, add 1 cup water or chicken stock to the pan to deglaze all that flavor at the bottom! This will be used to make really delicious gravy.
  
• My chicken was exactly 5.7 pounds and it took about 2 hours and 15 minutes to cook. I highly recommend using an instant read meat thermometer- it is the best way to know when your chicken is ready! I usually take mine out when the temp of the deepest point of the breast reads 162 degrees F. Let the chicken rest uncovered for 20-30 minutes before carving. The chicken will continue to cook and will be perfect by the time its ready to carve!

  *If you don't have a thermometer, you will know the chicken is ready if the juices run clear. Its better to have underdone chicken than overcooked! If you see a tiny bit of pink, it should be fine. But if there is a lot of pink/red juices coming out, you need to cook it more.
  

To make the gravy

• Scrape all the brown bits at the bottom of the pan
  
• Strain the drippings (but don't throw away the stuffing- you can eat it with dinner or add them to make pot pies with leftover chicken). Separate the fat from the drippings.

  *An easy way to separate fat from drippings is to put it into a ziploc back, place two containers next to each other, then snip off a tiny bit of the bottom right corner of the ziploc back and release the drippings into the first container. You will be able to see the line of demarcation where the fat is laying on top. Right before all the drippings are out, position the bag over the second container to release the fat. Here's a video tutorial on how to do it :)
  
• Use the fat to make a roux for the gravy. Equal parts fat + flour (I used 4 tbsp of each), whisking constantly over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. It should become a thick paste and peanut butter colored. You really wanna make sure you cook out the flour taste!
  
• I added 1/2 cup heavy cream next, but if you prefer a gravy without cream you can leave this out.
  
• Add the drippings (1-2 cups) and some chicken stock (1/2 cup). Simmer until reduced by almost half. Taste for seasoning if needed. I sometimes add more pepper.
  
• Carve your chicken and enjoy! This gravy is great with the chicken or mashed potatoes. I usually have some gravy leftover and stretch it with some more chicken stock to make pot pies with leftovers later. Its soooo good!