Sunday Chicken

Sometimes Sundays just call for some serious lounging around the house. Some football, snacks and PJs if it's the fall. My family and I just started our first fantasy league so this is the first year I'm actually paying attention to the NFL. Doesn't help that the Gamecocks are looking all 2005 on us. So, here's to Sundays, football and some pretty fall weather ahead.

Sunday Chicken Roast
makes 4 servings

for the chicken:
1 3-4 lb. whole chicken
3 shallots (thinly sliced)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
1 lemon (thinly sliced)
4 tbsp unsalted butter (at room temp)
2 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and ground pepper
2-3 sprigs rosemary
2-3 sprigs thyme

for the veggies:
3 red potatoes (quartered)
3 large carrots (cut into 1 in. cubes)
3 stalks celery (cut into 1 in. cubes)
1 yellow onion (peeled and quartered
10 cloves garlic (smashed) 
3 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup dry white wine
2-3 sprigs rosemary
2-3 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon (halved)
salt and pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove chicken from fridge about 20 minutes prior to cooking. Rise and thoroughly pat dry. Coat entire chicken generously in salt and pepper. Get all crevices, including inside the chicken.

Get out your Dutch oven or whatever you would normally put a roast in. Add 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic slices and a dash of salt and pepper. Let cook until shallots and garlic are soft but not browning at all, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add to a small mixing bowl. Add soft butter and mix until you have a creamy butter mixture.

Carefully create a gap between the skin and meat on all parts of chicken. With your fingers, rub the butter mixture in between the skin and meat of the chicken on breasts, thighs and drumsticks where you can. Next, add slices of lemon in between the skin and meat all over the bird. The whole thing should be slathered in butter, oil and lemon by now.

Tuck some rosemary and thyme in the cavity and the bird is ready.

In the Dutch oven, add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic cloves, Dijon mustard, white wine, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Toss everything to combine. Squeeze lemon halves over everything and toss the lemon halves into the chicken cavity.

Place the chicken on the vegetables, breast side up. Cover with a lid and let cook for 45 minutes. Remove lid and let cook for another 30-45 minutes, basting every 7ish minutes.

Remove chicken from Dutch oven to a cutting board or serving plate with veggies surrounding the bird. Wait about 10 minutes before cutting into the chicken.