Roast Chicken

After my day from hell yesterday (and by the way, THANKS for commiserating with me), I realized I had a chicken in the refrigerator.

I bought a FRESH, organic, straight from the farm chicken on Saturday at the farmers market. Yesterday being Monday I really felt like I needed to use it. So, at 9pm, I put my chicken in the oven.

This is my GO-TO, ABSOLUTELY FAVORITE, roast chicken. It is SUPER easy, adaptable and just plan TASTY. I ALWAYS add lots of different vegetables for an easy one pot meal.


Perfect Roast Chicken

Recipe By : Barefoot Contessa
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 roasting chicken -- (5 to 6 pound)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme -- plus 20 sprigs (used dried)
1 lemon -- halved
1 head garlic -- cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons butter -- (1/4 stick) melted (used olive oil)
1 large yellow onion -- thickly sliced
4 carrots -- cut into 2-inch chunks (I used a bunch of baby carrots)
1 bulb fennel -- tops removed, and cut into wedges (used zucchini, squash, potatoes, etc...)
Olive oil

(I didn't take a picture of the raw chicken because pictures of raw chicken skeeve me out)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

Source:
"Barefoot Contessa Cookbook page 130"

After this came out of the oven, I stood over the roasting pan and ate some piping hot. Man this was good!

I submitted this recipe for The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.