Roast Chicken with Olives and Potatoes

By Bonnie T

Ingredients

• 1-7 pound roasting chicken
• 6 tablespoons olive paste...olivada
• 2 bay leaves
• Olive oil
• 4 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• Fresh thyme

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slide hand between chicken skin and meat over breast and legs to form pockets. Spread 4 Tbs olive paste over breast and leg meat of chicken. Spread remaining 2 Tb. of olive paste in cavity of chcken. Place bay leaves in cavity. Tie legs together to hold shape. Rub olive oil into chicken skin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 2 Tb thyme.

Place chicken in large roasting pan. Place potatoes in large bowl. Add 2 Tb olive oil and sald and pepper to taste and toss to coat. Sprnkle with 2 Tb thyme. Add potatoes to pan with chicken. Roast 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and roast one hour longer. Add olives to pan. Continue roasting until juices run clear when chicken is pierced in thickest part of thigh, basting occasionally with pan juices, about ten minutes.

Transfer chicken to platter. Surround with potatoes and olives. Sprinkle with additional thyme. Pour chicken pan juices into large cup and degrease. Serve chicken , passing pan juices separately.