It started with just one chicken.

Or was it an egg?

Chicken?

Egg?

OK, OK.

This post definitely started with a whole chicken in my refrigerator. Well, the edible parts of the chicken anyway. Because I bought it at the grocery store where you find chickens wrapped in plastic, all de-feathered and de-clawed and with the insides all cleaned out.

Perhaps there's a reason I'm not a food blogger, eh? I'm not making chicken sound very sexy right now, am I?

But there's a reason for that. Chicken isn't sexy.

Oh sure, serving a juicy chicken breast over pasta and drowning it all in a creamy sauce is pretty nice, but chicken itself is not inherently sexy.

On that note, a protip: If you are at all squeamish about knowing where your food comes from and the process by which it gets from the grower to your plate, do not watch the documentary Food, Inc. before preparing (and eating) a big meal. They're not kidding when they say you'll never look at dinner the same way after you've seen this film.

While my chicken was sitting in the fridge waiting to be roasted, I watched Food, Inc.

Then I waited a couple more days before I could face the chicken. Not because the movie grossed me out. Not because I suddenly thought the chicken had feelings. Rather, because the movie is incredibly thought-provoking and I just ... I don't know ... wanted to think more about the chicken, I guess.

When I finally got around to it, I used the mix of spices in this recipe for Spicy Rapid Roast Chicken from allrecipes.com, and I extended the cooking time a little because my chicken was bigger than three pounds.

Can I just say? YUM. This has now become my go-to recipe for roasted chicken.

I knew I should have taken a picture when I took it out of the oven. (See? A real food blogger would never forget to capture a shot of the finished product. Phooey.) It was tasty and beautiful. Don't despair, though. Tomorrow I'll show you (with pictures!) what I have learned about Chicken, Day Two. Hint: it's budget friendly.

That's right, dear readers, it's Chicken Week here in the Pipe Life household. Or Chicken Days, at least, until it's all gone. Stretching one small chicken to two or three meals - now that's what I call excitement!

And if you're still with me after all of that, first: thank you, and second: You should watch Food, Inc. Everyone should. Seriously.