Perfect Roast Chicken Dinner With Lemon, Garlic and Herbs

This is a complete one-pan Sunday chicken dinner, to be enjoyed with a good bottle of wine and a buttered baguette or fresh baked rolls. All you need is dessert (such as a fruit pie or crumble). Bon appetit!

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 (5 lb)  organic free-range roasting chickens
•  kosher salt
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 1  bunch fresh thyme
• 1  sprig fresh rosemary (or 3 sprigs fresh tarragon)
• 2  lemons, quartered
• 3  garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
• 3  tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 -3  medium onions, quartered
• 1  stalk celery & leaves, chopped
• 8  medium  organic carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 3  medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 -3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Place the cooking rack about 6 inches from the bottom of the oven, and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Remove the chicken giblets, and any feathers or extra fat; rinse the chicken inside and out with cold running water and pat dry.
3. Generously salt and pepper the chicken, inside and out.
4. Stuff the cavity with sprigs of thyme and rosemary (or tarragon), quartered lemons, and garlic.
5. Place chicken breast side up into a large Dutch oven or Le Creuset pan, tucking legs together (tie legs together with string, if necessary) and tucking the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
6. Brush outside of chicken with melted butter, and sprinkle generously with additional salt and pepper.
7. Place onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes evenly around the chicken; drizzle with olive oil and toss gently to coat.
8. Roast the chicken for about 45 minutes, or until chicken is nicely browned.
9. When chicken has browned, cover loosely with aluminum foil and continue to roast for an additional 45 minutes (for a 1 1/2 hours cooking time), or until juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.
10. Remove chicken and vegetables from oven to a platter and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
11. Before serving, remove the herb stuffing from inside the bird, discard.
12. Slice the roast chicken, and serve with the vegetables.
13. This is a great Sunday dinner to be enjoyed with a good bottle of wine and a buttered baguette or fresh baked rolls.
14. Bon appetit!