Best Roast Chicken And Vegetables Recipes

LEMON AND HERB ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to the top position and preheat to 450 degrees F. Toss together the potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Roast until the vegetables brown slightly and the potatoes just begin to soften, about 20 minutes, tossing halfway through.
• Meanwhile, rub the chicken breast skin with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with the poultry seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Once the vegetables begin to soften, put the chicken breasts on top and roast until the skin is golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove the chicken breasts and let them rest for a few minutes. Toss the roasted vegetables with juice from 1 of the lemon halves and the parsley. Cut the bones from the chicken breasts and slice the meat. Divide the chicken and roasted vegetables among 4 plates. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges and serve alongside.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Place chicken on a large plate and season generously with salt and pepper; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Let chicken stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toss carrots, shallots, potatoes, and lemon with 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a large roasting pan, with shallots in center and carrots, potatoes, and lemon toward edges.
• Rub chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, tie legs with twine, and nestle in center. Roast, flipping vegetables around edges once, until chicken is golden and a thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast (avoiding bone) registers 160 degrees, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer chicken and lemon halves to a carving board and tent loosely with foil. Flip vegetables; return to oven and roast until caramelized and tender, 15 to 20 minutes more. Carve chicken and transfer to a platter or return to roasting pan. Sprinkle with parsley, squeeze lemon over top, and serve with vegetables.

BEST-EVER ROAST CHICKEN AND ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Put the carrots, parsnips and onions in the bottom of a big roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, and add to that the 1/2 cup of chicken broth.
• Then, remove the contents from the cavity of the chicken.
• Slice the top off of the whole head of garlic, and put that, the halved lemon, and the whole bunch of thyme inside the cavity. Truss the legs of the chicken.
• Season the outside of the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan, fold the wings underneath the bird.
• Put the pan into a 400-degree oven for an hour and fifteen minutes -- at that point, check to see if the chicken's done (slice the wing, the juices should run clear). Add more time if needed.
• Let rest for 10-15 minutes, carve and serve with the roasted vegetables.

ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES WITH TAHINI

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees with a rack in the lower third of the oven. On a sheet pan, combine the chicken, ginger and 2 tablespoons of the chopped dill. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon lime zest over the mixture, then toss with your hands to combine. Add the root vegetables, olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and a few generous grinds of pepper. Toss to coat, then arrange in an even layer.
• Roast until the vegetables are soft and caramelized and the chicken is cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. (Check the mixture halfway through cooking; if some vegetables are browning too quickly, give them a stir.) If you want the chicken more browned, run the pan under the broiler for a few minutes.
• Drizzle the tahini over the sheet pan and let sit, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining dill, as well as the red-pepper flakes and sesame seeds as desired. Cut one of the limes into wedges for squeezing over. (Refrigerate the other for another use.)

ROAST CHICKEN AND ROOT VEGETABLES WITH MUSTARD-ROSEMARY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk mustard, oil, and rosemary in bowl. Place chicken in large roasting pan. Brush with half of mustard mixture. Roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170°F, about 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, brush large baking sheet with oil. Reserve 1 tablespoon mustard mixture for sauce. Toss onions, turnips, and carrots with remaining mustard mixture in bowl. Spread out on baking sheet. Roast until tender and beginning to brown, stirring twice, about 1 hour. Transfer chicken to platter. Spoon off fat from juices in pan. Place pan atop 2 burners. Whisk in broth and reserved mustard mixture. Boil until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Place chicken on platter; surround with vegetables. Serve with sauce.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH ROOT VEGETABLES, ROSEMARY, AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Rinse chicken under cold running water and pat dry, inside and out. Reserve the giblets for making stock and save liver for another use.
• Salt and pepper cavity of chicken generously. Place 6 (or more) of the garlic cloves and 3--4 sprigs of rosemary in the cavity, then truss legs together.
• Mince 6 cloves of garlic and mash into a paste with Kosher salt.
• Finely mince 4 sprigs of rosemary and combine with garlic paste.
• Combine the rosemary and garlic paste with about 1/4 cup of olive oil in a gallon sealable plastic bag and place trussed chicken in the bag. Massage the minced rosemary and garlic paste into the chicken and refrigerate overnight or longer.
• When ready to prepare, let chicken come to room temperature at least 1/2 hour before baking.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Prepare vegetables: If using leeks, blanche them for 30 seconds, then rinse with cold water. If using celery hearts, leave them in 2--3 inch lengths. (I don't always use the leeks). Cut chilies in half lengthwise, removing core and seeds. Reserve some of the veggie stalks and trimmings to use in stock. If using Cippollini onions, blanch them, rinse under cold water and peel the outer papery layer and some of the base, leaving enough base to hold the little onion intact.
• If you are using stock from a box, finely mince 1 clove garlic. Using a small saucepan, saute garlic in a small amount of olive oil. Then add 1 cup of the chicken stock and 1 sprig of rosemary and reduce to 1/2 cup. Remove the rosemary sprig. This will be the base for the parsley butter sauce.
• OR prepare your own chicken stock: To prepare your chicken stock, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and brown chicken neck, heart, and gizzard. (Save liver for another use). Once giblets have browned add 2 cups of water and vegetable trimmings, i.e. fennel fronds, a slice of onion, and a sprig of parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking the stock until reduced to 1 cup. Meanwhile finely mince 1 clove of garlic. Once stock has reduced by half, strain out chicken giblets and vegetable trimmings. Clean the saucepan and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then and saute the garlic. Return stock to the pan with the garlic and add a sprig of rosemary. Continue to reduce to 1/2 cup and remove the rosemary sprig. This will be reduced further to only a few tablespoons when preparing the parsley-butter sauce.
• Mince additional 4 cloves of garlic with another 4 sprigs of rosemary.
• Place cippolinni onions, red onion, sliced fennel, (or celery hearts), squash, chiles, and any remaining garlic cloves on a large baking tray and toss with 3/4 of the minced garlic and rosemary and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. If you would rather not roast your potatoes in duck fat, toss with the vegetables in olive oil.
• In a separate bowl, toss potatoes with remainder of minced garlic and rosemary and add salt and pepper.
• Place vegetables in tray in the lower rack of the oven.
• Remove chicken from bag and and sprinkle with generous amounts of pepper and another sprinkling of salt. Place chicken directly on oven rack above the roasting vegetables.
• Place duck fat in a separate smaller roasting pan and heat in oven for a few minutes. Once hot, add in the quartered potatoes and roast next to chicken which is roasting over the vegetables.
• While chicken is roasting prepare the parsley butter sauce: Add in juice of 1/2 lemon to 1/2 cup of chicken stock and continue to reduce until only 2--3 tablespoons remain. Then begin whisking in the chilled butter pieces, one piece at a time, making sure that each piece is incorporated before adding another. After all butter has been whisked in, add in chopped parsley. Keep warm.
• Continue to roast the chicken until its internal temp is 165 F., probably about 45 - 50 minutes. It depends on the size of your chicken. If your chicken is done, the juices draining from your chicken should be clear, not pink.
• Remove chicken to a carving board allow to stand for 20 minutes.
• Increase oven temperature to 425°F and continue to roast the vegetables until done, about 10 or 15 more minutes. Place cooked vegetables and duck-fat roasted potatoes on a large serving platter.
• After chicken has rested, carve into serving pieces and arrange over the roasted vegetables on the platter.
• Serve with the parsley butter sauce and enjoy.

HERB ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Mix oil, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Grate 1 teaspoon peel from lemon; add peel to oil mixture. Cut lemon into fourths; place in cavity of chicken.
• Fold wings of chicken across back with tips touching. Tie or skewer drumsticks to tail. Place chicken, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush oil mixture on chicken. Insert meat thermometer in chicken so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh muscle and does not touch bone.
• Roast uncovered 45 minutes. Arrange potatoes, carrots and green beans around chicken; brush chicken and vegetables with oil mixture. Roast uncovered 30 to 45 minutes or until thermometer reads 180°F and juice of chicken is no longer pink when center of thigh is cut. Let stand about 15 minutes for easiest carving. Remove lemon and discard.
• Place chicken on platter; arrange vegetables around chicken. Serve with pan drippings.

SLOW-COOKER SAVORY ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Spray inside of 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet; drain on paper towels. Cover and refrigerate for later.
• Drain all drippings from skillet except for 1 tablespoon. Add mushrooms and carrots to skillet; cook over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and vegetables are lightly browned. Add garlic; cook 30 to 60 seconds or until fragrant. Transfer mixture to slow cooker; stir in onions. Top with bay leaves and thyme.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook in two batches in skillet over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until brown on all sides. Arrange chicken pieces on top of vegetables in slow cooker.
• In 1-cup measuring cup, beat together chicken broth and tomato paste; pour around chicken in slow cooker. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest pieces are cut to bone (at least 165°F), and vegetables are fork tender. Transfer chicken and vegetables to serving platter, discarding bay leaves. Top with cooked bacon. Spoon fat from cooking juices; serve with chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley; serve with mashed potatoes.

ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, mix olive oil or butter, herbs, salt and pepper. Put chicken breast side up in a roasting pan. Toss half the herb-oil mixture with potatoes, scatter them in pan around chicken and put pan in oven. Roast about 20 minutes, and spoon some more herb-oil mixture over chicken and potatoes. Shake pan so potatoes turn and cook evenly.
• After 10 minutes shake pan, and baste again; breast should be starting to brown. Reduce heat to 325, baste again and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 155 degrees or more. Total roasting time will be 50 to 70 minutes.
• Remove chicken from pan, and taste a potato; if not quite done, raise heat to 425 degrees, and roast (or broil) while letting chicken rest and carving it. Serve, garnished with parsley, with potatoes scattered around it.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH POTATOES AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper inside the cavity, and then add the rosemary, thyme, onion, garlic and lemon. Once the herbs are inside the cavity, truss the chicken.
• Place the chicken in a roasting pan and rub olive oil over the skin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and then place in the oven for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, take the chicken out and add the potatoes, shallots and carrots to the pan. Roast until the juices run clear, another 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest on a carving board for about 10 minutes.
• While the chicken is resting, remove the vegetables from the pan and drain most of the chicken fat. On medium heat, add the escarole to the pan and saute until wilted halfway. Combine the Dijon mustard, vegetables and escarole into a serving dish. Carve the chicken, place on top and serve.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH MASHED-POTATO STUFFING AND ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Make mashed-potato stuffing:
• Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. In a saucepan of boiling salted water boil potatoes with garlic and bay leaf until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potato mixture, return it to pan, and cook over high heat, shaking pan, until any excess liquid is evaporated, about 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat and discard bay leaf. Add milk, butter, and thyme. Mash potatoes and garlic with a potato masher until smooth and stir in salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Rinse chicken inside and out and pat dry completely. Fill cavity loosely with some of stuffing and reserve remaining stuffing in a small baking dish. Truss chicken and rub all over with butter. Season chicken with salt and pepper and arrange, breast side down, on a rack set in a large shallow roasting pan. In a small bowl toss shallots and garlic with oil and add to roasting pan.
• Roast chicken in lower third of oven for 30 minutes. Turn chicken breast side up and baste with pan juices. Arrange vegetables and thyme sprigs in pan and season with salt and pepper. Roast chicken and vegetables, stirring and basting frequently, 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer inserted in fleshy part of thigh registers 180°F. During last 30 minutes of roasting bake reserved stuffing, covered with foil.
• Let chicken stand 10 minutes before carving. Discard thyme sprigs. Serve chicken, stuffing, and vegetables sprinkled with parsley.

BALSAMIC ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a large nonstick roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• Cut 4 of the onions into quarters. In a medium bowl, toss the onion quarters, carrots and potatoes with 1/2 cup of the salad dressing (use more if not fully coated) and place in roasting pan.
• Slice the remaining onion and place the slices inside the chicken (after removing giblets from the cavity of the chicken) with the 6 sprigs of parsley.
• Place the chicken, breast side up, on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. Brush the chicken with 1 T. of the salad dressing and sprinkle it with salt and black pepper.
• Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for about 1-1/2 hours, or until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 180 degrees. While the chicken is cooking, brush it with the remaining salad dressing and pan drippings every 30 minutes.
• Remove the onion and parsley from inside the chicken and discard.
• To serve, carve the chicken and sprinkle the vegetables with salt, black pepper, and the chopped parsley.

ONE-PAN ROAST CHICKEN, FENNEL, AND ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Rinse chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in center of large rimmed baking sheet. Roast 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss potatoes, carrots, and fennel with remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in large bowl to coat. Crumble oregano in small bowl; mix in garlic powder. Sprinkle all but 1/4 teaspoon oregano mixture over vegetables; toss to coat.
• Arrange vegetables around chicken on baking sheet. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon oregano mixture. Roast chicken and vegetables until cooked through and golden, brushing chicken once with any pan juices and turning vegetables over once with spatula, about 1 hour. Arrange chicken and vegetables on platter; garnish with reserved fennel fronds. Scrape any pan juices into bowl and serve alongside.

ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 385 degrees F (196 degrees C).
• Pour olive oil into a large bowl; toss potatoes, carrots, bite-size pieces of celery, and 3/4 of the sliced onion in the oil to coat. Set remaining onion aside. Transfer oiled vegetables to a large cast iron skillet.
• Rinse chicken and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Generously season the chicken, inside and out, with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Place the remaining 1/4 of the sliced onion, 1/4 cup margarine, lemon slices, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and large pieces of celery into the cavity of the chicken.
• Place the chicken atop the oiled vegetables; scatter remaining 1/4 cup of margarine pieces and 1 2/3 tablespoon minced garlic in small amounts around the vegetables.
• Roast chicken and vegetables in the preheated oven until the skin is browned and crisp, the vegetables are tender, and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reads 165 degrees F (75 degrees C), about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving with vegetables.

FRENCH COUNTRY ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• 1. Make the Stuffing
• Pulse sandwich bread in food processor until medium fine breadcrumbs
• Add egg, parsley, marjoram, shallot, garlic, mustard, and black pepper to food processor. Pulse 8 times until mixed.
• Add 1 lb ground pork to processor. Pulse until mixed (4-5 pulses)
• Lay out 2 pieces of parchment paper. Add half of stuffing mixture to bottom third of each. Shape into 8"x2" logs, roll into log, and twist ends of paper to seal. Tie ends with kitchen string.
• 2. Brown the chicken
• Pat chicken dry
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in dutch oven
• Season chicken with salt and pepper
• Brown chicken 4-7 minutes on skin side only until brown. Remove to a plate. Put fat out of dutch oven
• 3. Make bouquet garnis
• Halve celery ribs crosswise. Stack parsley, marjoram and bay leaf in a tight pile. Encase the pile between celery ribs and tie securely with kitchen string
• 4. Build the Meal in the Pot and Cook It
• Add whole potatoes, quartered fennel bulb and chopped carrots to bottom of dutch oven in a single-ish layer.
• Lay bouquet garnis on top of vegetables
• Add peppercorns, garlic cloves, salt
• Add chicken broth to pot, leaving the top 1/2 inch of vegetables uncovered
• Lay chicken legs on veggies (they will not be covered)
• Lay stuffing rolls beside legs
• Lay chicken breasts on top of chicken legs
• Increase heat to high and bring to a boil
• Cover dutch oven and place in 300 degree oven until breast meat reaches 160 degrees, about 60-70 minutes
• 5. Make the Sauce
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl, whisk, set aside for 15 minutes. EVOO, parsley, marjoram, fennel fronds, cornichon, shallot, mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper
• 6. Remove Ingredients and Serve
• Remove chicken and stuffing to a plate. Remove all skin from chicken. Carve breasts into thick slices. Separate legs from thighs. Carve stuffing into large slices.
• Remove veggies to serving platter
• Strain and defat broth
• Add stuffing to side of platter beside veggies
• Add chicken to platter atop veggies and stuffing
• Sprinkle with parsley and moisten platter with reserved broth
• Serve into individual bowls, adding more broth and cornichon sauce to each bowl

ROAST CHICKEN WITH ROOT VEGETABLES AND VERJUS BEURRE BLANC

Steps:

• For the vegetables: Place a medium sauté pan over medium heat, and melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onions and toss until well coated. Add one teaspoon sugar, salt and pepper to taste and 1/4 cup water. Sauté until liquid has evaporated and onions are tender and golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer onions to a plate.
• Wipe out pan and return to medium heat. Melt remaining butter. Add turnips, remaining sugar, salt and pepper to taste and 1/4 cup water. Toss until liquid has evaporated and turnips are lightly browned and beginning to become tender, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and continue to toss until carrots are lightly browned and turnips are golden brown on all sides, another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to plate of onions and set aside.
• For the chicken: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place a large heavy oven-proof sauté pan or skillet over high heat until very hot. Add olive oil. Add chicken skin-side down, reduce heat to medium-high and cook without moving for 3 minutes. Transfer pan to oven and continue to cook, without turning breasts, until internal temperature of meat reaches 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes.
• For the verjus beurre blanc: In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, shallots and thyme. Place over high heat and boil until reduced by half. Add sugar, verjus and mushrooms. Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid has again been reduced by half. Pour through a fine-meshed strainer into a heat-proof bowl; discard solids. Return liquid to saucepan and place over very low heat. Add chicken stock. Whisk in one cup butter, a little at a time, being careful that sauce does not return to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• To finish and serve: Place a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add remaining butter and 1/4 cup water. Add vegetables and stir until glazed and thoroughly heated, about 2 minutes. Add grapes and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Arrange vegetables and grapes in centers of 4 warmed dinner plates. Slice each breast into 3 pieces and arrange around vegetables. Spoon verjus sauce around plate.

ORANGE-MAPLE ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. In 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken to large shallow roasting pan.
• In small bowl, mix syrup, broth, orange peel, orange juice, bourbon, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place Brussels sprouts and carrots around chicken in pan; dot with butter. Drizzle vegetables with 1/4 cup of the orange mixture. Brush chicken with 1/4 cup orange mixture.
• Roast 1 hour 15 minutes, brushing every 20 minutes with orange mixture and stirring vegetables once, or until meat thermometer reads at least 165°F. In 1-quart saucepan, heat remaining orange mixture to boiling. Boil 2 minutes. Serve orange sauce with chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with pecans.

FRENCH ROAST CHICKEN AND MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLES IN WINE

Steps:

• Make a batch of French Roast Vegetables with Hot Balsamic & Olive Oil Dressing, (Recipe #195130) up beforehand - OR use your own roasted vegetable or Ratatouille recipe if you wish!
• Preheat oven to 180C or 360°F.
• Grease a sturdy roasing tin or tray with a little of the olive oil.
• Brush the rest of the olive oil over the chicken or chicken breasts/pieces & season liberally with salt & freshly ground black pepper.
• Place the fresh thyme or rosemary over the top of the chicken and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, dependant on the size of your chicken and/or chicken pieces. Remove from the oven and drain any excess fat away.
• Add the roasted vegetables & wine to the chicken, gently mix through or scatter around the sides of the whole chicken and turn up the oven to 220C or 450°F.
• Put the chicken and vegetables back into the oven to roast for a further 15 to 25 minutes; the chicken should be just falling off the bone, golden brown and crispy and the vegetables should be heated through & charred slightly!
• Serve with jacket potatoes or peppered potato wedges, Recipe #193370.
• N.B.
• I have cooked the vegetables alongside the chicken before, but I find that it takes up too much of the chicken fat & juices - great if you are wanting to cook a Chicken & Vegetable casserole, but in this dish I wanted the flavours to be independant of each other!

ROAST CHICKEN WITH CILANTRO PESTO AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375*.
• Grease large roasting pan.
• Process Pesto ingredients in food processor until a smooth paste.
• Rub on chicken.
• Place chicken, potatoes and peppers in pan.
• Coat vegetables with cooking spray (or toss in plastic bag with 2 tbls. olive oil); season with salt and pepper.
• Bake 40 minutes, stirring vegetables after 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender and chicken is opaque near bone.
• Serves 4.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH PRESERVED LEMONS AND ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Make the brine: Fill a large stockpot with 16 cups water; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add sugar, salt, lemons, olives and their brine, parsley, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaves; stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Remove from heat and let stand for 20 minutes to infuse.
• Add ice to brine mixture to cool. If brine is not completely cold, transfer to refrigerator until cold. Add chickens to cold brine and weight down with a plate or small pot lid to keep submerged. Transfer to refrigerator and let brine 8 to 12 hours.
• Make the chicken: Cut preserved lemons into quarters. Cut flesh away from rinds, reserving both. Remove chicken from brine; discard brine. Rinse chickens and pat dry using paper towels. Place 1 chicken on work surface with legs facing you. Starting at the cavity, work the handle of a wooden spoon between skin and one breast to create a pocket, working slowly and gently to avoid tearing skin. Repeat process with other side.
• Holding chicken in place with one hand, slide index and middle fingers of your other hand into each pocket to enlarge it, then slide your fingers down to create a pocket over the thigh. Repeat entire process with second chicken.
• Insert pieces of preserved lemon rind, white pith-side down, and thyme sprigs into pockets over thighs and breasts. Sprinkle cavities with salt and rub chickens with reserved flesh from preserved lemons, scraping off any pieces of lemon flesh that stick to the chicken and discard.
• Position 1 chicken, breast side up, with legs facing you. Cut a vertical slit in one side, about 1 inch back from cavity, alongside thigh. Cross end of opposite drumstick over drumstick on this side and poke top end of drumstick through slit. Depending on condition of chicken's skin, it may rip as you try to poke the drumstick through it, so have some kitchen twine on hand just in case to tie legs together if necessary. Repeat process with other chicken. Season chickens with salt.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
• Make the vegetables: Place turnips, carrots, onions, parsnips, and rutabagas in a large bowl; add olive oil, thyme, garlic, and 3 pinches salt. Toss to combine. Transfer vegetables to a large roasting pan spreading in an even layer. Set a roasting rack over vegetables. Place chickens, breast-side up on roasting rack, leaving space between chickens. Chickens should not be touching vegetables, but set over them.
• Transfer roasting pan to oven; roast for 15 minutes. Spread room-temperature butter from remaining chicken ingredients over the breasts; continue roasting 30 minutes more. Roast until skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reaches 160 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let stand 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove rack and set roasting pan on stove over two burners. Bring cooking liquid to a simmer. Whisk in preserved lemon liquid and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in butter, piece by piece, to emulsify sauce and glaze vegetables. Stir in parsley. Serve chickens whole or carved over vegetables.