One pot roasted chicken and veggies

One Pot Roasted Chicken and Veggies!

Okay, so this is not the lowest calorie dinner, but nothing screams good family dinner at the table, than a roast chicken dinner!  It is one of my favorite indulgent dinners!  Not only can you fill the ONE pot with whichever roastable veggies you want, but something oh so magical happens with them!  The veggies on top become dark and roasty, while the bottom veggies end up braising in the beautiful chicken juices!  Oh I'm sorry about the drool, feel free to take a second to wipe your chin!  Be warned, this takes a bit of prep, including touching a whole raw chicken, and also takes a good chunk of time to cook, but it is oh so very worth it!!

Before you start anything, allow for the chicken to have time to come to room temperature right as you're ready to cook.  This should take about 90 minutes.  I like to take the chicken out before chopping the veggies, then let it sit for 60 minutes after seasoning and preparing.  You can also prep all this the night before to allow the seasonings to penetrate better, but I always forget...  whoopsies!

Let's talk roastable veggies.  The beauty of this dish is the versatility.  You can literally use any veggie that is raw, and delicious when roasted.  Squash and sweet potato get soft, and soak up the juices.  Zucchini, onions, cauliflower, and celery break down, and become almost like a sauce to mix with the chicken.  Carrots, radishes, and beets soften and take on the seasonings, but stay in tact.  Use any combo.  Experiment with anything you can come up with.  I even love to stir in julienned  spinach or kale with the hot roasted veggies and juices at the end!   Just remember that more colorful veggies equals more flavorful and nutritious dinners!

Cut whatever veggies you choose into about 1 inch pieces.  I like to use about 6-8 cups of veggies.  Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, and whatever seasoning is going on the chicken.

Now is the time for organization!  Sterilize the sink, rinse, and dry.  Place your wrapped chicken in the sink.  Make your spice mix.  I like to do about a tablespoon of salt, teaspoon of herbs, and lots of fresh pepper.  Place in a small cup, knowing that any unused seasoning will be thrown out.  Move your pot of veggies by the sink, trash can on the floor by the sink, and you need a paper towel for blotting the chicken.  Now take a deep breath, it's raw chicken time!

Carefully remove packaging from the chicken, and pick up to allow all juices to drain off.  IMPORTANT, make sure to reach inside both ends of the chicken to check for any loose gizzards, or more importantly, packages of gizzards!  You make the decision to either toss or save them.  No judgements.  While still holding over the sink, blot the chicken thoroughly to remove all moisture from the outside of the chicken.  Smear about 1/3 of the seasoning on the under dark meat section of the chicken.  You can tell how the chicken should be placed, with "wings point up".  Lay the chicken in the pan, "wings pointing up", and season with the other 1/3 of the seasoning, the third 1/3 goes in the cavities.  

Now for the "cheffy" lecture.  If you have ever watched big name chefs prep a chicken, you know that they use LOTS of butter.  lots.  They smear it under the skin, on the skin, and baste constantly while cooking.  This is ridiculous.  I guarantee this chicken will be so juicy, you will giggle with joy!  

The other debate I have is "trussing".  It is unnecessary.  To be honest, if you couldn't tell, these raw chickens kind of give me the icks, and a trussed chicken turns out exactly the same, without the extra handling.  If you feel the need for some chicken bondage, be my guest!

Now, to roast away!  I have tried many fidgety temps, times, mnemonics, etc.  but the best way I have found is 425*, for about 15 minutes per pound.  From there, a meat thermometer is your bestie!  Keep roasting until you hit 165*.  Then, let rest for AT LEAST 20 minutes.  Be sure to keep a fly swatter handy for that pesky husband!  

When the chicken is rested, I like to move it to a cutting board with a lip for any extra juices.  This is the perfect time to stir in julienned greens, if you desire.  Stay tuned for chicken dissection  instructions!