What better way to celebrate summer than with a delicious, herby rosemary roast chicken with bright summer vegetables? This recipe was created by Lindsey McClave of The Farmer & The Foodie. It's quick, easy, and sure to please a crowd!
Serves 2
- 1, 3.5-4 lb whole chicken
- assorted seasonal vegetables such as carrots, onions, beets, potatoes or turnips; cut into equal sized pieces to ensure even cooking
- 1 whole head of garlic, sliced horizontally
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- one lemon cut into eight pieces
- ½ lemon, sliced in half
- 2 large sprigs rosemary, 1 sprig left whole, leaves removed & minced
- 2 tbs unsalted, room temp butter
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425°. Place the vegetables in a bowl & toss with minced garlic, 2 tbs olive oil, ¾ tsp salt & ½ tsp black pepper. Set aside.
Using paper towels, pat the chicken dry on all sides & within the cavity. Transfer the bird to a shallow roasting pan. Generously season the inside of the cavity with salt & pepper before tucking in one half of the lemon, followed by half of the garlic head, 1 sprig of rosemary & the additional lemon & garlic.
Mix ¾ of the minced rosemary into the butter. Working from the head of the chicken, lift the skin to expose the breast. You will see a thin membrane that attaches the skin to the meat. Gently break this seal & slowly rub your fingers up the breast, detaching the skin from the breast, making room for the butter. Using your fingers, push the butter in between the skin and the breast meat, slipping it as far back as possible. Spread the butter over the entire area keeping it as even as possible. Repeat on the other side.
Liberally season the outside of the chicken with salt & pepper & drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle remaining minced rosemary over the breast of the bird & tuck the wings under. Spread the vegetables out around the bird & transfer to the oven. Roast for 55 minutes to 1 hour & 15 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breasts registers 150° (you want the final temp to be at 160° but the meat will continue to cook while it rests). Remove from the oven & transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Tent lightly with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
While the chicken rests, check the doneness of the vegetables. If not yet fork tender, spread veggies out in the roasting pan & return to the oven to continue to brown, if desired. Serve alongside the rosemary chicken.