Roast Chicken w/ garlic, shallot and potato

By á-3918

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 lbs roasting chicken - (to 3 1/2 lbs), patted dry
• 7 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
• 8 large thyme sprigs, plus extra
• thyme sprigs for garnish
• 24 large unpeeled shallots, tops cut off
• 2 large garlic heads
• 24 baby red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (or 12 unpeeled small red boiling potatoes)
• Grilled or toasted bread

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Separate garlic heads into cloves, wash but do not peel. Cut tops off. Prick baby potatoes or halve small red potatoes. Rub the chicken with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place 4 thyme sprigs in the cavity.
Scatter the shallots, garlic, potatoes, and the remaining 4 thyme sprigs in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Drizzle the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 cup water over the vegetables. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Place a rack over the vegetables. Place the chicken on its side on the rack.
Bake 30 minutes, turning the vegetables and the chicken with tongs. Continue to bake until the juices in the thighs run yellow when pricked with a knife and the drumstick moves easily in the socket, about 1 hour, basting occasionally.
To serve, place the chicken on a large carving board with the vegetables scattered around it. Carve, and serve immediately at the table. Garnish each serving with thyme sprigs. Accompany with grilled bread for sopping up the juices.