Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables
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https://instructions.wiki/recipes/roast-chicken-with-root-vegetables
Makes 4 to 6 · 20 min prep · 1 hr 15 min cooking
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 lb, giblets removed
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 2 inch chunks
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch lengths
- 2 medium yellow onions, cut into thick wedges
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Dry and salt the chicken
Pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels, then pat it dry again. A wet skin steams instead of browning. Rub the salt and pepper over the whole surface and inside the cavity. Let it sit uncovered at room temperature while the oven heats.
Heat the oven to 425F (220C)
Set a rack in the lower third of the oven.
Build the vegetable bed
Toss the potatoes, carrots, and onions with the olive oil and a pinch of salt in a roasting pan or a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Spread them in an even layer. Scatter the thyme over the top.
Set the chicken on the vegetables
Rub the softened butter over the breast and legs. Put the lemon halves in the cavity. Place the chicken breast side up directly on the vegetables so the drippings fall into them. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine if convenient.
Roast until the thigh reads 165F (74C)
Roast about 1 hour 15 minutes. The chicken is done when an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone, registers 165F (74C) and the juices at the joint run clear. Start checking at the 1 hour mark. If the skin darkens too fast, tent it loosely with foil.
Rest 15 minutes before carving
Move the chicken to a board and leave it alone for 15 minutes. Resting is what keeps it from running dry, because the juices redistribute instead of pouring out at the first cut. Stir the vegetables through the pan drippings while the bird rests, then carve and serve.