My first roasted chicken

 

Disclaimer:  There are very few pictures to go along with this recipe. There are very few pictures because I was too busy freaking about about cooking a WHOLE chicken..and having to...touch...a whole raw chicken.....and i forgot to take pictures. Oops.  Thankfully I survived! I know, I'm such a baby. I even freaked out when i was washing it and the giblets fell out in the sink.  (they were in a plastic bag - i did not know this). I wish I was kidding.

anyway. The chicken was fabulous.


The recipe is roughly based on a Williams Sonoma recipe card via bon appetit.  By roughly, I mean i used the cook time.....I substituted most of the suggested veggies for seasonal ones, and - of course- upped the garlic amount. we're going to call it...

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~~ Autumn Harvest Roast Chicken ~~ 

sure. why not.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (roughly 4 pounds)

1 large russet potato (unpeeled) scrubbed and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 large sweet potato (peeled) cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 rutabaga (not kidding) peeled,  cut into 1 inch cubes

4-5 cloves garlic

3 TBS unsalted butter (@ room temperature) + 2-4 small pats (optional)

1 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 sprigs of rosemary

(1 sprig minced, 1 kept whole) 

1/4 cup vegetable broth

salt+pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400  

in a small bowl  combine butter, minced rosemary, and 2 cloves garlic (minced)

(if butter still isnt soft enough to mix, stick it in the microwave for about 20 seconds)

Place pats of butter in each corner of a large roasting dish or pan

( again, optional. but i think it adds a lot to the vegetables..)

Add russet potato, sweet potato, and rutabaga to pan 

(I learned through this experience that it's best to keep the veggies on the outside of the pan, so they don't get squished under the chicken. those veggies were really not good eats) 

Add remaining cloves of garlic (whole or halved..up to you) to vegetable mix

(omg. just trust me) 

loosen skin from chicken, spread rosemary butter mixture under skin - spread remaining mixture all over chicken and vegetables.

(can you say GROSS?! really though, it's worth it)

 place whole rosemary spring inside chicken.......carcass. *shudder* 

(again....worth it)

add salt and pepper to chicken and veggies

roast on middle rack at 400 for about 15 minutes. 

( at this point, just for laughs, i poured the vegetable broth over chicken and vegetables. We liked it.)

lower heat to 375 and roast for another 1 hour or so, until chicken reaches 165 degrees

This is literally the only proof I have that I actually made this chicken

 

and ..it looks so greasy. i promise it wasn't! I'm definitely not done tweaking this recipe, I plan on having loads of fun with it in the future - different vegetables, seasonings, who knows. BUT I am quite proud of how this one turned out- super flavorful and JUICY! My  biggest fear was that it would be super dry. not even close. what a relief! 

Tonight we are making one of my FAVORITE recipes of all time via the great Alice Waters - plus a little broccoli and quinoa - Cassimus style...

Have a wonderful evening!