Name: Herb-Roasted Chicken with Vegetables
Ingredients: Whole Chicken (3-4 lbs): The star of the show, providing succulent and flavorful protein. Choose a good quality, preferably organic, chicken for the best taste.; Potatoes (1.5 lbs): Yukon Gold or red potatoes are excellent choices. They roast beautifully and become creamy on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside.; Carrots (1 lb): Adds sweetness and vibrant color to the dish. Use regular carrots or baby carrots for convenience.; Onions (2 medium): Yellow or white onions provide a savory base and caramelize wonderfully during roasting, adding depth of flavor.; Bell Peppers (2, any color): Adds a touch of sweetness and vibrant color. Red, yellow, or orange bell peppers are great options.; Zucchini (2 medium): Provides a tender texture and mild flavor that complements the other vegetables.; Garlic (4-5 cloves): Essential for aromatic flavor. Use fresh garlic cloves for the best taste, minced or roughly chopped.; Fresh Rosemary (2-3 sprigs): Lends a piney, fragrant aroma that is classic with roasted chicken.; Fresh Thyme (2-3 sprigs): Adds an earthy, slightly lemony flavor that complements rosemary and chicken perfectly.; Olive Oil (1/4 cup): Used for roasting and helps to crisp up the chicken and vegetables while adding healthy fats. Extra virgin olive oil is recommended for its flavor and health benefits.; Lemon (1): Brightens the dish with its citrusy zest and juice. Use both the zest for aroma and juice for flavor.; Salt and Black Pepper: Essential seasonings to enhance the flavors of all the ingredients. Use sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper for the best taste.; Chicken Broth or White Wine (1/2 cup, optional): Adds moisture to the pan and creates flavorful pan juices that can be used to baste the chicken and vegetables.

Ingredients

Whole Chicken (3-4 lbs): The star of the show, providing succulent and flavorful protein. Choose a good quality, preferably organic, chicken for the best taste.
Potatoes (1.5 lbs): Yukon Gold or red potatoes are excellent choices. They roast beautifully and become creamy on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside.
Carrots (1 lb): Adds sweetness and vibrant color to the dish. Use regular carrots or baby carrots for convenience.
Onions (2 medium): Yellow or white onions provide a savory base and caramelize wonderfully during roasting, adding depth of flavor.
Bell Peppers (2, any color): Adds a touch of sweetness and vibrant color. Red, yellow, or orange bell peppers are great options.
Zucchini (2 medium): Provides a tender texture and mild flavor that complements the other vegetables.
Garlic (4-5 cloves): Essential for aromatic flavor. Use fresh garlic cloves for the best taste, minced or roughly chopped.
Fresh Rosemary (2-3 sprigs): Lends a piney, fragrant aroma that is classic with roasted chicken.
Fresh Thyme (2-3 sprigs): Adds an earthy, slightly lemony flavor that complements rosemary and chicken perfectly.
Olive Oil (1/4 cup): Used for roasting and helps to crisp up the chicken and vegetables while adding healthy fats. Extra virgin olive oil is recommended for its flavor and health benefits.
Lemon (1): Brightens the dish with its citrusy zest and juice. Use both the zest for aroma and juice for flavor.
Salt and Black Pepper: Essential seasonings to enhance the flavors of all the ingredients. Use sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper for the best taste.
Chicken Broth or White Wine (1/2 cup, optional): Adds moisture to the pan and creates flavorful pan juices that can be used to baste the chicken and vegetables.

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Instructions

Preheat Your Oven and Prepare the Chicken: Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). This high temperature is crucial for achieving crispy skin and perfectly roasted vegetables. While the oven is heating, prepare your chicken. Remove the chicken from its packaging and pat it dry thoroughly with paper towels. This step is important because dry skin is key to crispy skin when roasting. If there are any giblets inside the cavity of the chicken, remove and discard them (or save them for making stock).
Prepare the Vegetables: While the oven preheats and the chicken dries, prepare your vegetables. Wash and chop all the vegetables into roughly equal, bite-sized pieces. This ensures that they cook evenly in the oven. For potatoes, quarter or halve them depending on their size. Cut carrots into 1-inch pieces. Slice onions into wedges. Core and seed bell peppers and cut them into chunks. Trim the ends of the zucchini and cut them into 1-inch slices or half-moons. Peel and mince or roughly chop the garlic.
Prepare the Herb and Lemon Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest (grate the yellow part of the lemon peel, avoiding the white pith), salt, and black pepper. Strip the leaves from the rosemary and thyme sprigs and roughly chop them. Add the chopped herbs to the olive oil mixture and stir well to combine. This fragrant herb mixture will infuse both the chicken and vegetables with incredible flavor.
Season the Chicken: Place the dried chicken in a large roasting pan. Using your hands, generously rub the herb and oil mixture all over the chicken, both inside and out. Make sure to get under the skin of the breast and thighs if possible, as this will add extra flavor and help to crisp the skin from underneath. Season the inside cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice of one half over the chicken. Place the squeezed lemon halves inside the chicken cavity along with any remaining herb sprigs.
Arrange the Vegetables around the Chicken: In a large bowl, toss the chopped vegetables with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange the seasoned vegetables around the chicken in the roasting pan. Spread them in a single layer as much as possible to ensure even roasting. If you are using chicken broth or white wine, pour it into the bottom of the roasting pan. This will help to create steam and prevent the vegetables from drying out, while also creating delicious pan juices.
Roast the Chicken and Vegetables: Place the roasting pan in the preheated oven. Roast for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. The exact roasting time will depend on the size of your chicken and your oven. To ensure the chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, avoiding the bone. The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Baste and Rotate (Optional but Recommended): About halfway through the roasting time, after approximately 45 minutes, you can baste the chicken and vegetables with the pan juices. This helps to keep them moist and flavorful. You can also rotate the roasting pan in the oven at this point to ensure even cooking and browning. If the vegetables are browning too quickly, you can loosely tent the roasting pan with aluminum foil for the remaining roasting time.
Rest Before Carving and Serving: Once the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, remove the roasting pan from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before carving. This resting period is crucial as it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the chicken, resulting in a more moist and flavorful bird. While the chicken is resting, you can toss the vegetables with any accumulated pan juices in the roasting pan.
Carve and Serve: After the chicken has rested, carve it and arrange it on a platter along with the roasted vegetables. Drizzle any remaining pan juices over the chicken and vegetables. Garnish with fresh herbs, such as extra rosemary or thyme sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious Herb-Roasted Chicken with Vegetables!

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 650
Protein: 55g