Serves 4 to 6
1 4 to 5 Pound Whole Roasting Chicken, Washed and Giblets Removed
1 Large White Onion, Cut in Half and Each Half Thinly Sliced
8 Large Carrots, Peeled and Cut into ½ Inch Pieces on the Diagonal
4 Celery Stalks, Cut into ½ Pieces on the Diagonal
4 Medium Size Yukon Gold Potatoes, Cut into Quarters
1 Large Sweet Potato, Cut into Large Chunks the Size of the Yukon Gold Potato
¼ Cup Whole Garlic Cloves
½ Cup XVOO
2 Teaspoons Coarse Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Preheat oven to 375°.
In a roasting pan or very large skillet toss the vegetables with half of the XVOO and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and drizzle remaining oil over the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with the rest of the salt and pepper. Roast for 1½ to 2 hours, until a instant-read thermometer registers 180ºF when put into the thickest part of the thigh. Stir the vegetables around half way through the cooking time.
Remove from oven and transfer the Chicken and Vegetables to a serving platter. Cover loosely with foil and let rest 20 minutes before carving. Serve the vegetables with the chicken.
If you want to have a little sauce with your chicken, while the chicken it is resting skim off the fat from the pan drippings and reduce a bit over medium heat. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and vegetables when serving. Serve Cranberry-Kumquat compote on the side.
Hints and Tips: Loosely tie the chicken legs together (don’t bring the legs close together). The chicken cooks more evenly and you will get a perfectly done leg and thigh with the white meat staying moist. At about 15 minutes before the chicken is done drain the liquid that accumulates inside the bird into the vegetables. Do this carefully with tongs that you slip into the chicken and tilt it forward allowing the juices to flow out.
