Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Roasted Root Vegetables
Date: Dec. 21st, 2018 - 9:00 PM
Ingredients
1 (5 pound) whole chicken, neck and giblets removed and excess fat trimmed
1 to 2 lemons
1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme, crushed
1 tablespoon light butter with canola oil
2 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-inch wedges
6 large carrots, cut into thirds and thick pieces halved lengthwise
1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon coarsely snipped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon coarsely snipped fresh rosemary
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary, cut into 1-inch pieces
Preparation
- Rinse chicken body cavity; pat dry with paper towels. Let chicken stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
- Place one oven rack in center of oven. Place a second oven rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a roasting pan with foil and place a rack in prepared pan. Remove zest and squeeze juice from one of the lemons; set juice aside. In a small bowl, combine lemon zest, 1 Tablespoon snipped thyme, butter, 2 teaspoons snipped rosemary, and garlic. Slip your fingers under breast and leg skin to create pockets. Rub herb mixture over meat in pockets and inside body cavity. Sprinkle chicken and cavity with kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Truss chicken (see Tips). Insert a thermometer into center of one of the inside thigh muscles.
- Place chicken, breast side up, on rack in prepared pan and place pan on middle oven rack. Roast 55 minutes.
- Meanwhile, line a 15×10-inch baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, carrots, red onion, olive oil, 1 Tablespoon coarsely snipped thyme, 1 teaspoon coarsely snipped rosemary, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Spread vegetables in prepared pan. Top with thyme and rosemary sprigs.
- After the chicken has roasted 55 minutes, place vegetables on bottom oven rack. Roast 25 to 35 minutes or until chicken is done (at least 175°F in thigh). Remove from oven. Roast vegetables 10 to 15 minutes more or until tender and golden.
- Cover chicken with foil and let stand 15 minutes. If desired, remove zest from remaining lemon. To serve, remove and discard skin from chicken. Carve chicken and drizzle with reserved lemon juice and pan juices. Serve with vegetables and top with lemon zest and additional fresh thyme and rosemary.
