Roast Chicken with Roasted Roots

This chicken was so amazingly delicious and simple to prepare I might have a hard time cooking it any other way from now on. And, doesn't it look beautiful?! It was completely satisfying to have a meal like this with pastured, local chicken and organic CSA veggies and sharing it with good friends and conversation.

To Prepare:

Thaw the chicken and remove the neck and give the chicken a good rinse and pat dry. Make a paste of rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper and olive oil. Rub it under the skin, in the chest cavity and all over the bird. We put the chicken on a cooling rack over a cast iron pan in a 385 degree oven which allows the drippings to collect in the pan. While the chicken starts to cook, chop up some potatoes, beets and turnip (any root veggie would be great) and toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper and rosemary and thyme. Once the chicken has cooked for a a bit, add the roots to the cast iron pan and allow to cook stirring every so often. Once the chicken has about a half hour left to cook, we transferred the bird off the cooling rack and placed it atop the veggies. I think cooking time averages about 20 minutes per pound so it will vary depending on the size of the bird. Once it is done (juices will run clear), take it out of the oven and let it rest before cutting. We served it with a delightful CSA veggie salad and it fed 4 hungry women who enjoyed every bite!