Rosemary Roasted Chicken

It’s snowing, and blowing outside today. On my morning walk with my dog Miss Vixen at 6:45 am the snow covered the ground in a weird grayish white color almost the same as the color of the sky. It had an odd crunch to it like walking in styrofoam beads. Even now as I write it’s not quite a white colored snow. Nothing like the snows of my past life in Colorado. There is no doubt that this winter in Baltimore is much different than last year when it was so mild my parsley, cilantro, thyme, oregano, and rosemary made it through into spring to burst forth in tremendous growth. Now all I have left is the rosemary bush outside in my raised garden beds and one thyme plant that I ripped out and put in the garage in a pot by the window. These are two of my favorite herbs, and I’m glad to have them hang on a bit longer. Last night I put together a roast chicken with rosemary, carrots, onions and celery. For a starch I tossed in 5 golf ball sized organic Yukon Gold potatoes. While this is not a quick cooking dish it is perfect for a late afternoon when you have ten minutes to put it together, and want the leftovers it provides for the next days salad or sandwiches. I really like that I could walk away from it for an hour and a half, then come back and steam some broccoli to go along with it for an almost perfect meal. Tossing the steamed broccoli with sauteed button mushrooms added a nice touch to a great winters meal. Here is the simple recipe.

1 frying or roasting chicken 4-6 lbs

oil for rubbing the exposed topside of the chicken, or spray oil

2 tablespoons dried or fresh rosemary

2 carrots peeled and sliced in 1/2 inch rounds

2 stalks celery sliced in 1/2 pieces

1 small yellow onion cut into 1/2 inch pieces

4 cloves of fresh garlic cut into slivers

salt and pepper

Rinse the chicken under cold water then dry. Set on top of onions, celery, and carrots in a roasting pan. Cut little slits in top side of chicken and insert garlic cloves. Rub or spray oil on chicken and then sprinkle rosemary salt and pepper. Place potatoes around chicken. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour and forty five minutes to 2 hours. Or until a fast read thermometer reaches 165 when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh.

Serves 4-6

Note: If your potatoes are bigger than golf ball size either parboil them for about 7-10 minutes then add to the roasting pan, or cut them into smaller pieces. I like the look of a whole potato with this dish.

This goes great with a Pinot Noir if you like red wines or a Chardonnay if whites are to your liking.

Ready to eat!