Roasted Chicken has become one of my cooking staples. One of the reasons I didn’t try it sooner was because I often found roasted chicken to be dry and lacking  flavor. But last Christmas, I decided to put my new roasting pan to use and perused the internet in search of the perfect chicken recipe. Well I’ve found it and want to share it with you. It’s  AMAZING! The chicken is soooo juicy and flavorful, but I think the real reason I love this dish is because of the caramelized vegetables in the bottom of the pan.  I could eat a plate of them alone!  

Don’t let roasting a chicken intimidate you. Just remember these 4 basic Tips:

1.     Play with your veggies. Not only do you have an automatic side dish, but the juice from the chicken runs right into your vegetables resulting in outstanding flavors. Plus, your house will smell incredible!

2. Season generously. Go heavy on the salt and pepper- freshly cracked works best. This brings out the natural flavor of the bird. Also, don’t be afraid to play with other spices and herbs.

3. Add fat. Butter that bird up! You want that baby to look like it spent way too much time on an exotic beach when you’re done.Plus you want that skin nice and crispy. Olive oil also works here too.

4. Layer the flavor.  Don’t forget to stuff the cavity with lemon halves, onion, garlic and a big bunch of thyme. The flavors will reach every piece of meat and have your family asking for more!

With these tips in mind, you’re ready to tackle the best chicken recipe EVER! This recipe comes from Foodnetwork.com. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients

• 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
• 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
• 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
• Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.

Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top. *Tanisha’s Tip: Cook the chicken breast side down so that all the juices run down into the white meat which can tend to be dry.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

Happy Cooking!