Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables is the perfect one-pot meal and a great winter dish.  It’s amazing how each ingredient enhances the others.  If you don’t like the vegetables in this version, feel free to replace them with your favorite veggies – this dish is very forgiving.  All of these great flavors and only one pan to clean afterward – how can you go wrong?  One item to note about this recipe:

• the original recipe calls for the removal of the chicken from the refrigerator 1 1/2 to 2 hours prior to cooking (to bring it to room temperature) – I will leave it up to you to decide whether or not this is something you would like to do

Serves 4

Ingredients

• One 4 to 4 1/2 pound chicken
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 6 thyme sprigs
• 2 large leeks
• 3 rutabagas
• 2 turnips
• 4 medium carrots – peeled, trimmed, and cut in half
• 1 small yellow onion – trimmed, leaving root end intact, and cut into quarters
• 8 small red-skinned potatoes
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 475°F.

Remove the neck and innards if they are still in the cavity of the chicken.  Using a pairing knife, cut out the wishbone from the chicken – this will make it easier to carve the chicken.  Generously season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper, add 3 of the garlic cloves and 5 sprigs of thyme – massage the inside of the bird to infuse it with the flavors.  Truss the chicken.

Cut off the dark green leaves from the top of the leeks.  Trim off and discard any darkened outer layers.  Trim the root ends, cutting around them on a 45-degree angle.  Slit the leeks lengthwise almost in half, starting 1/2 inch above the root ends.  Rinse the leeks well under warm water.

Cut off both ends of the rutabagas.  Stand the rutabagas on end and cut away the skin, working from top to bottom and removing any tough outer layers.  Cut into 3/4 inch wedges.  Repeat with the turnips, cutting the wedges to match the size of the rutabagas.

Combine all of the vegetables, the remaining garlic cloves and thyme sprig in a large bowl.  Toss with 1/4 cup of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables in a large cast-iron skillet or a roasting pan.

Rub the remaining oil all over the chicken.  Season generously with salt and pepper.

Make a nest in the center of the vegetables and nestle the chicken in it.  Cut the butter into 4 or 5 pieces and place over the chicken breast.

Put the chicken in the oven and roast for 25 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 400°F and roast for an additional 45 minutes, or until the temperature registers 160°F in the meatiest portions of the bird (the thighs, and under the breast where the thigh meets the breast) – the juices should be clear.  If necessary return the bird to the oven for more roasting; check every 5 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 20 minutes.  Just before serving, set the pan of vegetables over medium heat and reheat the vegetables, turning them and glazing them with the pan juices.

Cut the chicken into serving pieces, arrange over the vegetables, and serve.

original recipe found here