Preparing a whole chicken in the oven is not difficult at all. Season the chicken with tasty herbs and let the oven do all the work. Then be patient and enjoy roasted chicken and vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken
  • 2 dl poultry stock
  • 1 bulb of garlic
  • 4 sprigs of thyme
  • 4 sprigs of rosemary
  • 2 lemons
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp mustard
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • pepper
  • salt

For the vegetables

  • 0.50 celeriac
  • 1 fennel
  • 4 red beets
  • 400 g carrots
  • 400 g parsnips
  • 600 g waxy potatoes
  • 1 bulb of garlic
  • olive oil

Preparation

Take the chicken out of the fridge an hour beforehand and let it come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 225 °C

Mix the lemon juice from 2 lemons with 3 tbsp olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Rub the chicken with the seasoned lemon-olive oil mixture, both inside and out.

Stuff the chicken with the squeezed lemons, a bulb of garlic (cut in the middle) and the 2 sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary.

Clean the vegetables and cut into coarse pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut into pieces. Place the greens and potatoes in an oven dish and pour over some olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

Cut the remaining bulb of garlic in half and place between the vegetables, together with 2 sprigs of thyme and rosemary. Take a large baking dish and place the chicken on top of the vegetables, breast side down.

Slide the chicken into the oven and set the oven temperature back to 175 °C.

After 20 minutes, turn the chicken over and gently stir in the vegetables. Roast the chicken for another 30 to 40 minutes, spooning a little roasting liquid over it occasionally to prevent it from drying out.

Mix 3 tbsp olive oil with butter and honey, brush the chicken with this for the last 20 minutes.

Insert a skewer into the thickest part of the chicken (at thigh) to check doneness. Return the chicken to the oven when pink liquid is released. Test again after 10 minutes: only when juices run clear is the chicken fully cooked.

Remove the chicken from the oven, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Arrange the chicken and vegetables on a nice platter and scoop out the excess fat from the roasting pan.

Pour the broth into the roasting pan or a small saucepan, spoon in the mustard and add 1 tbsp honey. Let the gravy reduce a little.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with the chicken and vegetables.

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