Roasted Chicken with Carrots, Fennel, and Onion AND a Giveaway

It was another cold and rainy day here in Portland so I decided to roast a chicken. I didn't want anything fancy... just simple comfort food. I found this recipe for a perfect roasted chicken by Ina Garten and decided to make it. I adapted it a bit by excluding the butter because I wanted to keep it a little lower in fat. I loved the flavor of the roasted carrots, onion, and fennel and the chicken turned out extremely moist, tender, and delicious. This is definitely a great recipe for roasted chicken - I am looking forward to making it again.

Roasted Chicken with Carrots, Fennel, and Onion:

Adapted recipe by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe by Ina Garten

• 1 5lb chicken
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• Several sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 head of garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 4-5 carrots, peeled and cut in half
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, thickly sliced
• 1/4 red onion, thickly sliced
• Fennel, tops removed and cut into wedges
• Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Remove chicken giblets out of the cavity and rinse the chicken. Pat dry then coat the chicken with olive oil cooking spray then season with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder, to taste, all over the bird.

Place the lemon halves, all of the garlic, and a handful of fresh thyme into the cavity. Place the bird on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Place the carrots, onion, and fennel in the roasting pan along with a few sprigs of thyme, season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Drizzle some olive oil on top of the veggies and toss to coat evenly.

Place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. Place the chicken into the oven and roast for 1 1/2 hours or until the temperature reaches 180 degrees. Remove the chicken from the oven and let the bird rest with a tin foil tent for at least five to ten minutes before carving. Serve the chicken with the roasted vegetables. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Giveaway:

Johnsonville wanted me to spread word about a recipe contest they are doing where three winners will share $15,000.00 in cash. It's quick and easy for anyone to enter. Just start with any familiar recipe - or develop a new one and use Johnsonville Sweet, Mild, Hot, or Four Cheese Italian sausage, instead of ground beef, chicken, or another protein. For more information about the recipe contest, visit their site here. You can also visit their Facebook site here.

I will be giving away 4 coupons each good for 1 package of any flavor Johnsonville Fresh Italian Sausage. I will pick two winners who will each receive two coupons. All you have to do to win is leave a comment on this post. If you don't have a blog, please leave your e-mail address so I can contact you if you are chosen. I will announce the winners on Monday. Good luck!