Author Notes
My mother always made a great roast chicken when I was growing up. Julia Child said, "if you can roast a chicken well you can cook anything." I have been roasting chickens for years now, experimenting and each time is slightly different but using my moms approach to start, I always put 1/2 a lemon and 1/2 an onion in the cavity and go from there. Roasting a chicken is fairly straight forward and always makes a delicious and impressive meal. I suggest you serve with a full white wine such as a chardonnay, or if you prefer red a light pinot noir. —chez lady S
Ingredients
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1
3-4 pound young preferably organic or kosher chicken
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2-3
small to medium onions
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1/2
lemon
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6
medium red potatos
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1
fennel bulb (or 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds)
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2
large carrots
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6-8
garlic cloves
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bunch of fresh thyme
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freshly ground black pepper
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kosher salt
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olive oil
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1-2 tablespoons of butter
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about a quarter cup of dry vermouth
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water, white wine or no salt chicken stock
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1
tablespoon flour
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Rinse and dry chicken and rub outside and inside cavity with the salt and pepper.
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Cut lemon in half and onion in half and put these in the cavity.
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Put a small handful of fresh thyme and 2 smashed garlic cloves in cavity. Tie legs with kitchen string.
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Cut the potatoes in half, the onion and fennel in quarters, the carrots in 2 inch pieces and toss in olive oil salt and pepper, and some thyme. If using fennel seeds toss with vegetables instead of bulb.
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Put the tossed vegetables in the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
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Place pan in the 425 degree oven and roast for 1 1/2 hours or until legs are loose and the bird is golden brown. Check the roast every 20 minutes or so to baste the chicken and toss the vegetables around so they don't burn.
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Remove chicken from the pan to rest. Remove vegetables from pan and put in a separate serving bowl and cover to keep warm.
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place roasting pan on stove top over a medium heat. Add vermouth, butter, flour, some water or no salt chicken broth or white wine, a few twigs of fresh thyme and make a roux.
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Strain gravy.
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Plate chicken, with vegetable and the gravy.
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