Herb-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

By pavaldez

Ingredients

• 1 (5 pound) chicken for roasting
• 4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 medium bunch of thyme, plus 15 sprigs
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1/4 cup chopped oregano, plus 7-8 sprigs
• 3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 large red onion, cut into thick slices
• 1/2 orange
• 2 bulbs of fennel, trimmed and cut into quarters
• 1 head garlic, broken apart, cloves smashed
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Take out the giblets and rinse the chicken. Thoroughly pat dry on the inside and out. Sprinkle salt and pepper into the chicken cavity, then stuff with the bunch of thyme, sprigs of oregano, all of the smashed garlic, and lemon and orange halves.

Brush butter all over the outside of the chicken and season generously with salt and pepper. Truss the legs with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.

In a roasting pan, toss the vegetables with olive oil, 15 thyme sprigs, chopped oregano, salt and pepper. Spread evenly across the bottom of the pan and then prop the chicken on top of the vegetables.

Roast the chicken for about 1 1/2 hours. Cut between the leg and thigh to see if the juices run clear. If they do, then the bird is ready. Remove from oven, cut off the kitchen string and tent with aluminum foil for about 15 minutes before serving.