Oven Sprite Can Chicken

First of all, I have to say WELCOME to all of the new followers and people coming to check out my food blog!!!  Can I just tell you how excited I am to have you?!  I truly hope you find some recipes on here that you and your loved ones can enjoy.  I'm so glad you're here!

On to today's recipe...I came across this recipe in our ward cookbook and I'd heard about cooking techniques like this, but never tried them.  On this particular day, I happened to have everything I needed to make this dish.  So I whipped it together with every intention of it turning out like most other roasted chickens - dry and not much flavor.

Once we tried this for dinner, I was blown away with the flavor and moistness of the meat!  Oooooh, baby, I won't be cooking chicken any other way now!

Here's what you'll need:

1 C. butter

2 T. garlic salt

2 T. paprika

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 (12 oz.) can Sprite (or anything similar)

1 (3.5-4 lb.) whole chicken, rinsed and patted completely dry

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  In a small skillet, melt the butter, then add the garlic salt, paprika, salt (I probably used about 1/2 tsp.) and pepper (about 1/4 tsp.).  Discard 1/2 the Sprite, leaving the remainder in the can.  

**That's what the recipe says. I say pour half of it into another glass, add some Torani raspberry-flavored syrup and a couple of cubes of ice, and you'll have something yummy to sip as your making the rest of dinner.**

Using a funnel, very carefully and very SLOWLY pour half of the melted butter mixture into the Sprite can.  If you pour it in too fast, it will bubble out all over your counter, just like it did to mine. 

 Place can on a rimmed baking sheet then set the chicken over the can, inserting the can into the cavity of the chicken.  Try to keep all of the naked chicken jokes and narrations in your head at this point.  Otherwise your children may think you're crazy.

Baste chicken with the remaining melted butter mixture.  

Place baking sheet with the Sprite can and chicken carefully into the oven.  Bake for about 3 hours, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 180 degrees.

This is seriously the best baked/roasted chicken that has ever come out of my kitchen.  And though I rarely eat the skin, you MUST try a little of it with the meat.  It's amazing.