A Fresh Take on Chicken

This savory chicken recipe has become a favorite in the Ruby household here in London. And, we always love a good excuse to use our great white roasting pot. The secret (in our opinion): the fresh rosemary and garlic and the basting. If you try it, lemme know what you think! bon appetit!

Ingredients:

5 carrots, cut into thirds

8 small red potatoes, quartered

1 med yellow onion, cut into 6 wedges

3 Tbs butter, melted

1 chicken (4-5 pounds)

1 lemon, quartered

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

salt and pepper, freshly ground

What to do:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Put carrots, potatoes, and onion in a 9x13 glass baking dish/Le Creuset pot; toss veggies with 1 Tbs butter and season with s & p to taste. Spread vegetable to edge of baking dish, making room for the chicken.

Rinse chicken and place breast-side up in center of pot. Brush chicken with 2 Tbs butter and season with salt and pepper. Season cavity of bird with s&p, and place lemon wedges and rosemary sprigs inside chicken cavity. Place garlic cloves under chicken (to prevent burning). Keep chicken legs tied together (they come like this). [Side note: as I was making sure the legs stayed tied, I laughed to myself at the scene in Julie and Julia where Julia, too, was dressing a chicken for photography by Paul Childs, and she chides the bird, “Honey, keep your legs together for the picture.” Haha.]

Roast for 45 mins. Remove dish from oven; baste chicken with juices in pot and a mixture of honey and maple syrup (I use about 3 TBS of each) and a little more butter. Continue roasting until chicken is a deep, golden brown, typically for about 25 more minutes.

Transfer chicken to platter, cover loosely with foil, and let stand for 10 mins before carving. Toss vegetables with remaining juices and transfer to a serving bowl. Savour every bite!