There is simply nothing like the smell of chicken roasting in the oven to get me excited for dinner. The minute the weather starts turning cold, I am in the kitchen roasting everything I can and this is a staple. There are many variations to this recipe, but the basic Roast Chicken is always a winner.

Ingredients

• 6 creamer potatoes

• 1 large white onion, sliced

• 5 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

• 1 whole, organic chicken

• Olive oil

• Course salt

• Black pepper

• Fresh thyme sprigs if you have, otherwise dried is fine

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled

• 1/2 lemon

Directions

Wash the potatoes and either quarter or cut into eighths, depending on how large they are. Put potatoes in a large pot and cover with water and a sprinkle of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Rise the chicken inside and out, removing any neck bones or gizzards from the cavity. Pat dry and place on a rack inside of a large roasting pan. Rub chicken all over with oil, then generously sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme. If using fresh thyme, pull some of the herbs off the stems and sprinkle over the top of the chicken. Take a few more of the sprigs and stick inside the cavity along with 2 cloves garlic. Squeeze the lemon on the top of the chicken and stick inside the cavity.

Drain potatoes and toss in a bowl with the carrots, onions, remaining garlic and enough olive oil to cover. Add salt and pepper and a few thyme sprigs. Spread on pan under and around the chicken on the rack. Pour in 1/2 cup of water or chicken stock so the veggies don’t burn.

Place chicken in the oven and roast until a thermometer reads 155 degrees F, about an hour or an hour and a half, depending on the site of the chicken. To properly test for doneness, stick the thermometer in the deepest part of the bird, between the breast and the drumstick. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, you can turn the heat up to 425 degrees F to get a crispy skin. Periodically check the veggies and if they look like they are burning, add more stock or water and given them a stir. Once you remove the chicken it is critical you tent it for 15 minutes so it continues to cook to 165 degrees F, which is the minimum temp you need to have a cooked bird. Slice and serve with veggies in a separate bowl or scattered around the chicken.

Note! If you are nervous about the chicken not being cooked enough, let it roast until it hits 165 degrees F and then still tent for 15 minutes.