Herb Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

I love roasted chicken. Herbert Hoover did not promise a "chicken in every pot," but the Republican National Committee inserted the phrase into ads during Hoover's 1928 campaign. A vote for Hoover, the ad said, would continue the prosperity of the Republican administrations of Harding and Coolidge, which had "reduced hours and increased earning capacity, silenced discontent, put the proverbial 'chicken in every pot,' and a car in every backyard, to boot." One small chicken, stretched with lots of vegetables, fed a family more healthfully than a large chicken and no vegetables.

SERVES 4 TO 6

INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken, 3½ -5 pounds, giblets and neck removed
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon (1-1½ tablespoons)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (chervil, lovage, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme, alone or in any combination)
3 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 red bliss or new potatoes, cut into eighths
3 carrots, sliced ½ inch thick
3 beets, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
1 rutabaga, peeled, halved, and sliced ½ inch thick
6 shallots, halved
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled

PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Rinse the chicken under cold running water and pat dry. Set on a large roast-ing pan on a rack. (The pan must be large enough to hold the vegetables in a single layer surrounding the chicken.)
3. Combine 3 tablespoons of the oil, the lemon juice, parsley, chopped fresh herbs, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Mix well, Rub the mixture onto the chicken and inside the chicken cavity.
4. Add the potatoes, carrots, beets, rutabaga, shallots, and garlic to the bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss gently to coat the vegetables. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer around the chicken.
5. Roast for about 1 hour, until the juices run clear from the chicken and a leg moves easily. Stir the vegetables once or twice during the roasting to promote even roasting.
6. Let the chicken sit for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. Turn the vegetables in the pan juices. Taste and add salt and pepper, if desired. Spoon the vegetables around the chicken. Serve roasted chicken immediately.

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