Rinse the chicken inside and out. Or, cut your chicken up in pieces. I think this is easier to serve and I like having the skin on all the pieces. Drain well. Mix all the spices together and rub over both sides of the chicken. The original recipe says to put in a plastic bag; seal and refrigerate overnight. I don't like to do it that way because I feel like you lose some of the spices when taking it out of the bag. I put the spices on and put it in the dish I'm going to be baking it in, wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When read to roast, put the onions either in the whole chicken or scatter then around the cut up chicken. If roasting whole, put breast side down in roaster. Roast, covered at 300° for 2 1/2 hours. (I think the original recipe said bake at 250° for 5 hours - so if you need to put it in before you go out for the day, try it at the 250° temperature). Baste occasionally with pan juices until chicken is golden brown.

Like I said earlier, I have made changes over the years to the original recipe. I don't use white pepper because I don't like white pepper. I use extra black pepper. I don't leave the chicken whole and I cook at a higher temperature because I want to cut the cooking time down. The shorter time, 2 1/2 hours still makes a very juicy, fall apart chicken. The original recipe said to cook uncovered but I cook mine covered and remove the cover for the last 20 minutes or so.

Thank you Mimi! I have loved this for years.