If you cook (and I really hope you do!), learning how to roast a chicken should be in your repertoire! It’s just so easy and so very impressive at the same time. Not to mention comforting, and it makes your house smell like the South of France. But, I know you love those rotisserie chickens that sit under those heat lamps at the store. Convenience! 0% effort and dinner is served! Yes, I am also thankful for that convenience on busy nights, but there is no substitute for a fresh, organic chicken roasting away in your very own oven! You do need to plan a bit in advance and have some time, as it takes up to 2 hours to cook this baby, but the prep is so minimal, easy and well worth it! This recipe’s got the veggies included, so this is one complete dinner happening right here. Now, that’s convenient!
The herb mix I have listed here is completely flexible. I didn’t have any fresh herbs on hand so I used dried, but by all means, use fresh if you have them. I was really in a thyme and tarragon mood, but use any herbs you love. Herbs de Provence is always amazing on chicken and is another one of my faves. You can add fresh lemon or white wine to the water in the bottom of the pan with the water, but I just kept the recipe simple and it turned out amazing. Did I mention the smell? Mmmm.
IMPORTANT! This is the best part! Don’t forget to save your chicken bones and make a bone broth! After dinner, throw the carcass/bones into your slow cooker. Add some roughly chopped onions, carrots and celery (you don’t even need to peel them, or remove the paper from the onion!) a few garlic cloves, herbs of choice, a few tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar and some salt and pepper. Add water to cover everything. Cook on LOW for 24 hours. When it’s done, strain the broth and transfer to containers to refrigerate or freeze. Bone broth is an incredibly nourishing food and good for anything that’s ailing you. Drink it warm from a mug or use it as a nutritious base for a yummy soup recipe.
Now that is a two-for-one. Getting to enjoy a fresh, delicious roasted chicken and then getting to make bone broth (the best thing ever)! WIN!
HERBED WHOLE ROASTED ORGANIC CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 whole organic chicken (3/12-5 lbs.)
1 small onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons rosemary (dried or ground) or ¼ cup fresh
2 tablespoons thyme (dried) or ¼ cup fresh
2 tablespoons tarragon (dried) or ¼ cup fresh
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound baby red potatoes, halved
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Rinse the chicken inside and out. Place into a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish or a roasting pan.
In a small bowl, combine onion, garlic, celery, herbs, olive oil and salt. Place some of the mixture inside the cavity of the chicken and sprinkle the rest around the outside edges of the chicken in the dish. Rub the outside of the chicken with additional olive oil.
Halve the baby potatoes and peel and slice the carrots. Spread all around the chicken in the dish.
Add about ½ inch of water to the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle the top of the chicken and vegetables with additional sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
Roast the chicken for 25 minutes at 450 degrees to seal in the juices. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees and continue to roast for about 1-1 ½ hours, or until the chicken juices run clear. Baste the chicken, with the pan juices, throughout roasting time to keep the chicken moist.
To test for doneness, pull the thigh away and check for clear juices. If they are still pick, the chicken needs more time. You can also use a meat thermometer to test. Insert it into the thickest part of the chicken thigh. It should register 165 degrees when fully cooked. When the chicken is done, transfer it to a platter and let rest about 10 minutes before carving.**
Serve with the vegetables and top the chicken and veggies with all the yummy juices from the pan.
**Save your chicken bones and use them to make a slow cooker bone broth!
