Ingredients:
- 1x 1.7kg (3.75 lb) whole chicken, room temperature
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Kitchen twine
- 2 yellow onions
- 3 carrots
- 680g (1.5 lbs) baby yellow or fingerling potatoes
- 59 ml (ΒΌ cup) olive oil
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 4g (2 teaspoons) smoked paprika
- 2g (1 teaspoon) garlic powder
- 2 slices (preferably end pieces) bread
- Dijon mustard, to serve
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 450 F (232 C).
- Pat the chicken down with paper towels. Season the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper.
- Truss the chicken: Place the chicken on its back, legs facing you. Tuck the wing tips under the back to protect them from burning. Take a long piece of kitchen twine and place the center underneath the neck of the chicken. Bring the twine down against the wings to under the breast and cross the ends. Give a tug – this will secure the wings to the side of the bird and plump the breast meat so it cooks slower. Continue wrapping the twine around the side of the legs, then cross and bring both sides of twine up in between the legs. Wrap around the end of the leg bones, and tie a knot to bring the legs together.
- Rain salt all over the chicken
- Place the chicken breast-side-up into a large cast iron pan, then transfer to the oven.
- Roast until the juices run clear, the skin is golden and crisp, and the meat is cooked but not stringy. It should register 145 F (62.8 C) at the thickest point, roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, as the chicken roasts, peel and roughly chop the onions and carrots. Halve the potatoes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and toss with the olive oil. Add the rosemary, thyme, paprika, and garlic powder, season with salt and pepper, and toss again. Set aside until needed.
- Once the chicken is done cooking, carefully transfer to a rack over a cutting board to rest for 35-40 minutes. Place the bread under the rack to soak up any juices that drain from the chicken.
- Dump the vegetables into the still hot cast iron pan, reduce the oven temperature to 400 F (204 C) and roast for the same amount of time that the chicken rests.
- Carve the chicken and serve alongside the roasted vegetables, soaked bread, and Dijon mustard to slather on the meat.