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Whole Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

Whole Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

Servings 6 servings
Prep Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

CHICKEN

  • 1 (3 lbs) whole organic chicken
  • 1 1/2 tbsp + 1 tsp California Olive Ranch Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds crushed
  • 1/2 tsp (divided) Lunds & Byerlys sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp (divided) Black Pepper fresh ground
  • 1/2 lemon sliced

POTATOES

  • 4 cups red potatoes halved and cut into 1/4
  • 2 cups carrots cut into 1/4
  • 2 cups Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
  • 2 cups leeks washed, halved and cut into 1
  • 2 tsp garlic minced

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place chicken, breast side down, on a work surface. Starting at thigh end, cut along one side of backbone with kitchen shears. Turn chicken around; cut along other side. Discard or save backbone for stock. Flip chicken over and open it like a book. Press firmly on breastbone to flatten.
  2. Using your fingers, loosen skin from breast meat; tuck lemon slices under skin (optional). Rub 1 teaspoon olive oil all over the chicken. Season chicken with rosemary, crushed fennel seeds (use a knife or heavy pan to crush seeds), ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper.
  3. In a bowl, toss vegetables with 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Spread vegetables in an even layer on a roasting/baking sheet. Place a cooling rack on top of vegetables and place chicken, breast side up, on top of cooling rack.
  4. Roast chicken until juices run clear when pierced between breast and leg (an instant-read thermometer should read 165 degrees when inserted in thickest part of a thigh, avoiding bone), about 30-40 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before carving. Remove skin before eating. Squeeze with fresh lemon juice if desired before serving.

Recipe Notes

Optional ingredients: 2 lemon slices to tuck under chicken skin while roasting, lemon wedges for squeezing over chicken