Roasted Chicken and Veggies is a great way to wow your guests at a dinner party. All of the prep and clean up can be done before the guests arrive and your home will smell amazing. Cooking a whole roasted chicken couldn’t be easier, the prep takes just 20 minutes and the oven does the rest of the work.  The roasted chicken comes out moist and delicious and veggies that roast around the chicken are juicy and packed with flavor. It doesn’t need to be a holiday to enjoy this easy and comforting meal.

How to Prepare a Chicken

Before you start cooking, it is important to rinse the whole chicken. While you do this make sure there is nothing left in the cavities then pat it dry.  Any little surprises you find in the cavity can be set aside or frozen and used to make chicken broth. For added flavor, place a couple sprigs of thyme in the chicken cavity and seal it up by securing the drumsticks with a skewer. If you are a big stuffing fan, you can skip the thyme and get enough stuffing in the main cavity, neck cavity and in the loose area around the drumsticks to feed two people.

When the roasted chicken is half way cooked, surround the it with any veggies you have on hand. I like use carrots, parsnip, celery and red onions. I add cherry tomatoes too because I love how they pop in your mouth when they are roasted. Rutabaga, sweet potatoes, squash or pumpkin would all be a delicious fall medley.

One of my favorite things about roasting a whole chicken is making homemade chicken stock with the bones. Follow the links to find out how to make chicken broth and a try my recipe for Get Better Soon Chicken Noodle Soup! If you don’t have time to make the stock right away you can freeze the bones and cavity surprises to use at a later date. Roasted

Chicken and Veggies

(paleo, gluten free)

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours

Serving size: 6

Ingredients:

• 3-3.5 lb whole organic chicken
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces
• 3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 2 cm pieces
• 2 red onions, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 Tbsp melted organic  butter
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)
• 4 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes

Directions:

1. Per-heat oven to oven to 375F.
2. Wash the chicken, remove anything hiding in the cavities and pat dry.
3. Place the chicken breast side up in a shallow roasting pan and put the sprigs of thyme in the cavity. Fold the wings under the chicken and skewer the drum sticks together to close the cavity. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, making sure it does not touch bone or poke into the cavity. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and arrange the carrots, parsnip, celery and onion around the chicken. Mix the melted butter, lemon juice and thyme together and drizzle over the chicken and veggies. Cover and continue baking for 45 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and add the tomatoes. Cover and return to the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the thermometer reads 180 and the juice of the chicken runs clear.
6. When the roasted chicken is finished let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving to allow the juices to settle.

Have you roasted a whole chicken before? Share your experience in the comments section.