Herb Roasted Chicken & Potatoes

Vegetable bed:

2-3 pounds potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 lemons, thinly sliced into wheels, ends discarded (optional)
Extra Virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper 

** Any hardy, fall/winter vegetables work well… I’ve added celery, carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, etc.  Use whatever you have on hand!

Chicken:
1 3.5-5 pound whole pastured poultry
4 tablespoons butter
1 lemon, cut in half
1 onion cut in half
1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally
2 sprigs fresh thyme
¼ cup fresh herbs (or 2 T dried).  Sage, thyme, rosemary, and parsley are my faves.

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a jelly roll (I used shallow roaster) pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.
  2. Make the vegetable bed:  In a large bowl, mix the potatoes, onions, garlic cloves, and lemon slices together.  Drizzle several tablespoons of olive oil over the mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place the vegetables into the prepared pan and spread out in an even layer.
  3. Make the chicken:  Rinse the chicken off with cold water, including the cavity.  Pat dry with a towel.
  4. Stuff the cavity with one half of the lemon, both halves of the onion, both halves of the head of garlic, and the sprigs of fresh thyme.  Tuck wings, if possible (mine never stay and it doesn’t seem to matter.)
  5. Using your hands or basting brush, rub butter all over the skin of the chicken that is showing.  Squeeze the remaining half a lemon all over the vegetables and the chicken.
  6. Chop & mix the spices together.  Sprinkle them all over the chicken so they stick to the butter and lemon juice.
  7. Roast the chicken on a rack in the bottom third of the oven for approx. 2-hours.  Turn chicken over (breast side up) to brown other side for approx. 30 mins.  Check temp every 30-45 mins until breast meat registers 165 degrees.
  8. Remove from the oven.  Lift the chicken off the vegetables and onto a cutting board.  Tent with foil or parchment and let rest for 15-20 minutes (IMPORTANT STEP!) Carve the chicken, serve with the roasted vegetables.


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