Roasted Spring Chicken
 
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 (4½- to 5-pound) whole chicken
  • 1 large bunch fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 (1½-pound) package petite gold potatoes
  • 1 large sweet onion, cut into 8 wedges
  • 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 large fennel bulb, tops removed, cut into 8 wedges
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Discard chicken giblets or save for another use. Generously season inside of chicken with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with thyme sprigs, lemon halves, and half of garlic.
  3. In a small bowl, combine butter, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper. Gently loosen skin from chicken, keeping skin intact. Rub half of butter mixture under skin of chicken. Rub remaining butter mixture over outside of chicken. Tie legs with butcher’s twine, and tuck wing tips under body of chicken.
  4. In the bottom of a large cast-iron Dutch oven, place potatoes, onion, carrots, and fennel. Place chicken on top. Place remaining half of garlic around chicken. Place Dutch oven on bottom rack of oven.
  5. Bake for 1 hour. Cover and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest portion of chicken registers 165°, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving. Serve with potatoes, onion, carrots, and fennel.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/roasted-spring-chicken/