Roast Chicken

Source 1, 2

Ingredients

• One 2 3/4lb - 3.5lb young chicken
• 4 tender sprigs fresh thyme, marjoram, rosemary or sage, about 1/2 inch long
• Salt
• 3/4 to 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 medium-sized rutabagas (also called "swedes"), ends cut and discarded, rutabagas peeled, and any outer tough layer discarded, then rutabagas cut into 3/4-inch wedges
• 2 medium-sized turnips, prepared the same way as the rutabagas
• 4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut in 2-inch segments
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled, roots cut off but core kept intact (see the photos for Frenching onions), other end cut off and discarded, the onion then cut into quarters
• 4 medium red-skinned potatoes

Directions

1. 1-3 days before roasting (3 1/4+lb chickens need 2 days): discard giblets inside of chicken, rinse chicken well and pat dry (don't want a wet chicken because the skin won't crisp).  Approaching from the edge of the cavity, slide a finger under the skin of each of the breasts, making 2 little pockets. Now use the tip of your finger to gently loosen a pocket of skin on the outside of the thickest section of each thigh. Using your finger, shove an herb sprig into each of the 4 pockets.  Generously salt & pepper the outside and a little on the inside.  Place into a large steel bowl, cover loosely with plastic, and refrigerate. Refrigeration will dry out the skin so it'll crisp well.
2. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  Generously salt the root vegetables and then create a bed of them in a large cast iron pan.  Place the chicken on the bed of vegetables, breast side up and spray with pam.
3. Preheat the cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Wipe the chicken dry, then place it breast side up in the pan.
4. Place the pan in the center of the oven and listen and watch for it to start browning within 20 minutes. If it doesn’t, raise the temperature progressively until it does. The skin should blister, but if the chicken begins to char, or the fat is smoking, reduce temperature by 25 degrees. 
5. After about 20-30 minutes, turn the bird over by sticking tongs into the cavity and flipping.   Put a meat thermometer in the meatiest part of the thigh (42s in) and set the temperature alarm to 155.  Roast for another 10 minutes, depending on size (I did 15 for a 3.5lb bird.  TRUST THE THERMOMETER!  If it says 155, pull it out! ). 
6. Flip the chicken once more (to recrisp the breast skin), roast another 5 to 10 minutes until the alarm hits 160.  Take the chicken out and rest for at least 10 minutes.  You may need to toss the vegetable in the chicken drippings and roast for 20 minutes longer.

Notes

Delicious!  Sooo good, will make again! The root vegetables even taste great.  Warning: take bird out when themometer hits 155.  This way at about 25 minutes @ 475 + 25 minutes @ 400.