Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken, approx. 4 lb
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1 head of garlic, sliced crosswise
  • 1 small yellow onion, quartered
  • 1 lb baby potatoes, halved
  • 3 large carrots, chopped into 2-inch chunks

Instructions:

  1. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Note: Any moisture on the skin will steam the bird instead of roasting it
  2. Drizzle the olive oil over the entire bird. Massage it into the skin and inside the cavity until every inch is glistening.
  3. Apply the kosher salt, black pepper, and dried Italian seasoning liberally. Use your hands to press the spices into the oil coated skin.
  4. Stuff the halved lemon, sliced garlic, and quartered onion into the chicken cavity.
  5. Toss the halved potatoes and chopped carrots in the bottom of your roasting pan with a splash of extra olive oil.
  6. Place the chicken directly on top of the vegetables.
  7. Roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes until the skin is mahogany and the meat is firm.
  8. Use your thermometer to check that the thickest part of the thigh has reached 165°F (74°C).
  9. Transfer the chicken to a carving board.
  10. Let it rest for 15 minutes until the juices settle back into the meat.