There are times that warrant slaving over a hot stove for hours, and there are meals that are well worth the extra effort. But then again, there are nights when the very idea of spending an hour cooking dinner shakes me to my very core, and I simply cannot force myself to do it. On nights like those, I cook meals that require less than 20 minutes of labor, but come out looking like I spent triple the effort. Case in point, roast chicken with potatoes and carrots. It’s warm, filling, and aromatic. It’s appealing to kids and adults, and is appropriate for a quiet supper with just the family, or for company. A true family staple. Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken

4 Potatoes (or one potato per diner)

1 onion

½ bulb garlic

Carrots, as many as desired (baby, or chopped bite size)

2 tbsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp tarragon

½ tsp thyme

½ tsp sage

5 or 6 sprigs of fresh thyme

½ tsp rosemary

1 cup white wine

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Place roasting rack into the roasting pan, place chicken on rack. Mix all herbs and salt/pepper in a bowl. Rub them on the skin, inside the skin, and inside the chicken (use all seasonings) Cut the onion in half, set aside one half. Cut the other half into thirds, insert into chicken. Put three unpeeled cloves of garlic into chicken, along with a few sprigs of thyme and lemon juice. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over the top of chicken. Chop onions, potatoes, and carrots, put in the bottom of pan. Add white wine, remaining olive oil, remaining sprigs of thyme, and remaining unpeeled garlic in bottom of pan. Cook for one hour 15 minutes (1:15), or until center of chicken reaches 165 degrees (F). Remove chicken and roasting pan from oven, cover lightly with aluminum foil, allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Notes:

The garlic from the roaster pan can be eaten! In fact, it’s amazing. Peel it, eat it- garlic is sweetened considerably throughout the cooking process.

Carve meat from the bone, scoop vegetables from the roaster, place on a plate. Consider drizzling some of the “juices” from the roaster over the top of the carved chicken.

An hour and a half from beginning to end, this chicken comes out a beautiful golden brown, the potatoes and carrots are tender, the flavor is delicious. Consider putting the whole chicken on a serving plate before carving, then surrounding it with the veggies- it’s beautiful, and there’s something charming and warm about carving the bird at the table.

Now it’s your turn- cook up a chicken and post a link to your photos in the comments- we’d love to see what you’re eating!

Download recipe in .pdf format here! Enjoy!