Herb-Roasted Chicken & Root Vegetables

Beautiful spring weather is upon us, and pasture raised chicken is in season! You can absolutely taste the difference in a pasture raised chicken from Hickory Nut Gap – the difference in taste comes from their varied diet, which includes a diverse range of grasses, insects, forage, and our non-GMO feed that we grind in-house with locally-sourced grains. Our birds enjoy a life on lush pastures, where they roam freely and engage in natural behaviors like pecking and scratching to their hearts’ content. ⁠
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Delicious, juicy, and flavorful, our whole chickens are now available for online ordering in sets of two, for both shipping and Farm Store pickup. ⁠Try our Herb-Roasted Chicken & Root Vegetables recipe today and share the goodness with your family!

Ingredients:

• 1 whole Pasture Raised Hickory Nut Gap chicken
• 4-5 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4-5 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2-3 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Herb Rub:

• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Let’s Get Cooking:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. If needed, remove giblets and neck from the inside of the chicken. Pat dry with paper towels. Place it on a cutting board, breast side up.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the chopped rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to make the herb rub. Rub the herb mixture all over the chicken, including under the skin and inside the cavity. Season the cavity with salt and pepper.
4. In a large mixing bowl, toss the chopped carrots, potatoes, parsnips, onion wedges, and minced garlic with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Place the seasoned vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan, creating a bed for the chicken.
5. Put the herb-rubbed chicken on top of the bed of vegetables in the roasting pan, breast side up. Place the roasting pan in the preheated oven and roast for about 1 hour or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) when tested with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone. Baste the chicken occasionally with the juices that accumulate in the pan to keep it moist.
6. When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve the herb-roasted chicken with the roasted root vegetables on the side.