Equipment:
cast iron pan or dutch oven
roasting dish (any pan large enough to hold the quantity of vegetables you wish to prepare in pretty much a single layer)
probe thermometer
For the chicken:
1 kosher chicken between 2 and 3 lbs
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary or thyme
kosher salt
pepper
vegetable oil
For the vegetables, any combination of the following, cut into 1/2 inch chunks:
potatoes
onions
carrots
parsnips
zucchini
brown mushrooms
bell peppers
We used a combination of potatoes, red onions, and carrots. Use whatever suits your and your family's preferences.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Wash your chicken, pat it dry using paper towels, and salt and pepper it thoroughly inside and out. Sprinkle some of the herbs inside the cavity and also shove a little under the skin, if desired, reserving the rest for later. Use butcher's twine to tie the wings and legs as close as possible to the body. Place the chicken in the cast iron pan.
Toss your vegetables into a roasting pan, and coat lightly with oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place both the chicken and the vegetables in the oven, side-by side on the middle rack if you can, if not, try to place them in the oven so that one is not directly on top of the other (for better heat circulation). Insert the probe thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast or thigh. Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 162 degrees (it will coast above 165, the recommended safe internal temperature, as it rests) and the skin is browned.
Halfway through cooking, rotate the chicken and toss the vegetables. It will take between 45 minutes and an hour to roast the chicken, depending on size, so I highly recommend you invest in a probe thermometer. This way, you can always be certain that your meat is cooked to a safe internal temperature without overcooking. Opening the oven repeatedly to check on your chicken will only dry it out and increase the cooking time, and cutting into the meat to check to see if the juices are running clear lets the juices run out of the meat.
By the time the chicken is done, the vegetables should be cooked through and browned around the edges.
Remove the cast iron pan from the oven and add the rosemary or thyme to the drippings in the pan. Use a spoon to coat the chicken with the herbs and drippings. Remove the chicken to a plate or carving board and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes.
While the chicken is resting, remove the vegetables from the roasting dish and toss them in the herb-infused drippings in the cast iron pan. When the chicken has rested, carve and serve with the vegetables. Enjoy!
