Garlic Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Last weekend I was looking through some of my old Bon Appetit magazines as I was shifting them on the shelf to shamefully make room for more of both that title and Gourmet.  I found that my oldest magazine was from 1977, I only had one from that year and a couple from 1978, I didn't have a subscription until the early 80s after graduating from high school, but what stood out to me as I was flipping through the pages was the number of advertisements for food processors.  I know by the early 80s I was anxious to get a processor of my own, of course I wanted a Cuisinart, but back then I couldn't afford much and ended up with something that wasn't good for anything but shredding cheese.  Fast forward 30 years and I have that Cuisinart, but have found that I prefer chopping by hand.

This recipe allows me to chop to my hearts content.  I got this recipe from my older sister, she used to make it all the time.  I still don't think I make it quite as good as she did, but it is still one of my favorite chicken recipes.  My sister used to make the recipe with chicken breasts and thighs, but we have whole chickens that we bought from a local family last fall so rather than chop them up I roasted them whole, neck and all.  Since I was leaving the bird whole I decided to add thyme, lemon, and garlic to the bird cavity.

With thyme, garlic and lemons tucked into the chicken's cavity this chicken was juicy and flavorful, and those roasted lemons, oh so good.  Tie those legs to keep them from splaying out; gives the bird some dignity.  Then be sure to make use of those flavorful juices collecting at the bottom of the pan by basting the bird occasionally.

Garlic Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
2  whole chickens, approximately 3 pounds each
8  medium-sized potatoes, skin on, quartered
3 sweet bell peppers, various colors, roughly chopped
12 cloves of garlic, whole, peeled
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 lemon, quartered and seeded
several sprigs of fresh thyme
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
butter

Place quartered potatoes, chopped peppers, 8 whole cloves of garlic, and chopped onion in a large roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss to coat.

Rinse and pat dry the chicken.  Rub butter all over the chicken, rubbing some of it under the skin around the breast meat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper in both the cavity and outside of the bird.  Place a pat of butter in each cavity, add sprigs of fresh thyme, two quarters of lemon and two cloves of garlic in each chicken cavity.

Roast in a preheated 400 degree F. oven for approximately 70 to 80 minutes.  Basting occasionally.  Roast until chicken juices run clear, meat is cooked through, and potatoes are tender.


Sense of Home / Recipes / Main Dishes


This post is linked to:
Fat Camp Friday
Monday Mania