Oven Roasted Lemon, Garlic, Thyme Chicken with Root Vegetables

This chicken is amazing.

That is all.

You will need (serves 4):

For the chicken:
1  4-5 lb whole chicken (hollowed out)

7-10 garlic cloves (slightly mashed down)
2 lemons (thickly sliced)
7-10 sprigs of thyme (full sprigs)
EVOO
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees C.

Using a sharp non-serrated knife, cut a slit in the skin towards the bottom end of the chicken and use your fingers to separate a space between the skin and the meat around the whole body.  Next, stuff the cavity and the space you created under the skin with the garlic, lemon and thyme sprigs.  Slightly brush your chicken with some EVOO and then heavily salt and pepper the bird, pressing down so the salt and pepper really sticks.  Use toothpicks to close the open end of the chicken where you sliced the skin.

** sometimes I use a special spice rub for chicken as well - but this is not necessary for this recipe**

For the vegetables: (use as many or as little as you please!)
Baby carrots
Mini new potatoes (halved)
Cioppino onions

Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet and drizzle with EVOO, salt and pepper.

You can bake both the chicken and the vegetables at the same time but be sure to keep an eye on your veggies and they will be done in about 35-40 minutes while your chicken should take just over an our (depending on the exact weight of the chicken).  When your veggies are done - remove from heat and cover with tin foil to keep warm.  When the chicken is ready, you should have a nice juicy white centre and a slightly brown and crisp outside with alot of natural juices infused with your lemon, garlic and thyme flavours (YUM!)- carve and serve!

xo Chef Natty