My First Organic Bird

This was the first meal that I made when I took the "Unprocessed Challenge" and it sold me on eating REAL!!  I apparently had never had an organic chicken before because the chicken I would normally buy at Publix or Bi-Lo didn't taste anything like this.  It is definitely more expensive but I got my money's worth out of it.  After we devoured the entire thing over the next couple of days I then boiled the bones and made chicken stock.  It was worth every penny.  This recipe sounds so plain and there's nothing out of the ordinary about it but it was truly delicious.  This would probably be a better weekend meal for most.

Roasted Chicken and Root Vegetables

1 3-5 lb. whole organic chicken
4 sprigs of a fresh herb (thyme, rosemary, sage or oregano)
6 garlic cloves, peeled and squashed
1/2 lemon
Olive oil
kosher or sea salt
freshly ground pepper

2 small sweet potatoes
2 small yukon gold potatoes
2 large carrots, peeled
1 large sweet onion

Be sure to take your chicken out of the fridge and bring to room temperature.  Dry chicken inside and out with paper towels and season cavity with salt & pepper.  Put 2 sprigs of herbs, 4 cloves of squashed garlic and 1/2 lemon into the cavity.  Set bird on a platter, breast side up and rub with olive oil and season with salt & pepper.  Flip bird over and repeat on back and legs.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Meanwhile, cut up your veggies into large chunks and toss in a bowl with remaining herb, garlic, olive oil.  Then season with salt & pepper.

Place the chicken in center of a large roasting pan, breast side down.  Spread veggies all around.  Roast at 425 degrees for 35 minutes.  Then turn oven down to 375 and roast for an additional 75 minutes.

Remove chicken from roasting pan and let it rest for 20 minutes.  Check your veggies and make sure they are done.  If not put them back in  oven while chicken is resting.

Carve chicken or if you are like us - just pull it apart and dig in!

Not a great pic but I think you can get the idea.  Look at all those "crunchy" goodies.  The combination of sweet potatoes and yukon gold potatoes is delicious.

I made this for my parents who think this unprocessed food thing is way too much work, and they loved it!  Now, as soon as they got back to Mississippi they returned back to opening boxes and bags for meals, but while they were with me they survived!  

Hope you enjoy it!