Crowd Pleaser: Herb and Garlic Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

By Dawn M. Richards

When it comes to selecting a dish for all things delicious, hearty, comforting and crowd-pleasing, roasted chicken tops the list. I count it as one of my favorite go-to bites when I’m looking for an unforgettable dish that comes together with ease — and often when I’m hosting dinner guests.

On a recent occasion, I decided to infuse some extra “love” into my recipe by flavoring the chicken with Herb-Garlic butter. I started with my classic preparation of seasoning the cavity and stuffed it with herbs, citrus and aromatics. I then rubbed my compound butter on the skin (and tucked a little away underneath the skin to help the breast meat remain extra moist while roasting) before roasting the chicken over a bed of hearty root vegetables.

Within less than an hour and a half, a beautifully golden, crispy and succulent chicken, with tender root vegetables, emerged from the oven ready to be devoured.

The next time you’re ready to wow your guests — and your palate — this easy and delicious recipe should  be your first choice as the ultimate crowd pleaser.

Herb and Garlic Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 Whole Chicken (3 to 4 lbs.)

Herb–Garlic compound butter (recipe follows)

1 large onion, quartered

1 lemon, quartered

1 head of garlic, halved with skin on

Fresh thyme

Fresh rosemary

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Root vegetables (parsnips, potatoes and carrots), peeled and chopped

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place chicken in a roasting pan and sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with onion, lemon, garlic, thyme and rosemary.  Rub the chicken with the herb-garlic butter and gently lift the skin over the breast and tuck butter underneath (Be careful not to tear the skin).  Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Tuck the wings under and tie the legs together.

Spread the root vegetables in the roasting pan to form a bed around the chicken. Place chicken in the preheated oven and roast for about an hour and fifteen minutes or until the juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for 10-20 minutes. Carve and serve with the vegetables. Enjoy!

Herb-Garlic Butter

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup (4 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Italian parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine butter, herbs, garlic and salt. If making the compound butter in advance, refrigerate until butter has become firm again. Remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature prior to preparing the chicken. Separate out a portion of butter for the chicken and refrigerate (or freeze) the rest until ready to use again.