Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Shallots and Baby Carrots

Makes 4 servings. 

This recipe is an easy, convenient one pot dish.

INGREDIENTS:

• One 3 ½ pound chicken, butterflied  

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 lemon, cut into thin rounds

• Small bunch oregano 

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper 

• 12 baby Yukon gold potatoes

• 8 small shallots 

• ¼ pound baby carrots

• 12 pitted green olives

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. 

2. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place in a roasting pan skin side up and brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil.    

3. Place the lemon slices and the oregano under the chicken.  

4. Rinse and dry the potatoes. Peel the shallots.

5. Place the potatoes, shallots, carrots and olives in a bowl, toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.    

6. Scatter the vegetables around the chicken and roast for about 1 hour. The juices running from the leg joints should be clear. From time to time stir the vegetables.   

7. Serve with the vegetables and accumulated juice.

Roast Chicken

Makes 4 servings.

I like to roast the chicken with nothing more than a few herbs and a lot of lemon. The chicken is moist enough that if you wish you can serve it with or without the pan drippings. 

INGREDIENTS

• One 3 pound organic chicken (broiler)
• Small bunch thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, quartered
• 1½ lemons
• 3 tablespoons extra –virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Rinse and dry the chicken inside and out. Discard any fat or hanging skin.  
3. Place the thyme, garlic and half of a cut up lemon into the cavity. 
4. Grease a roasting pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil and place the chicken in it.
5. Grease the chicken with the remaining olive oil and brush with the juice of 1 lemon. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Tie the chicken legs together, tuck the wing tips up and under the back of the neck.
7. Roast the chicken breast side up for 20 minutes (if you find that the bottom of the roasting pan is beginning to burn add ¼ cup of water). Turn the chicken over and roast breast side down for 20 minutes.
8. Turn the chicken over again, breast side up and roast for the final 20 minutes.
9. To test for doneness, pierce the leg joint with the tip of a knife, the juices, should run clear, not pink.
10. Remove the chicken to a carving board and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.
11. While the chicken is resting, prepare the pan drippings.  Discard all of the particles from the cavity. Tilt the chicken so that all the juices will pour into a small pan. Also when carving the chicken, collect all of the juices released from the bird and add to the pan juices. Place the juices in the freezer for a short while to allow the fat to rise to the top. Discard the fat. Heat the juices and pour over the chicken if you like.