Whole Chicken Dinner (Paleo)
This was adapted from a Williams Sonoma Recipe that I found in a cookbook.
This was adapted from a Williams Sonoma Recipe that I found in a cookbook.
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 5 pound chicken whole innards removed and defrosted
- 1 whole fresh lemon cut into quarters
- 4 medium turnips peeled and chopped
- 4 whole carrot peeled and sliced
- 1 medium sweet potato peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled finely chopped
- Carbohydrate 19.7932625 g
- Cholesterol 283.49523125 mg
- Fat 57.2525382683333 g
- Fiber 5.0331124112606 g
- Protein 72.5409427666667 g
- Saturated Fat 16.3514913725 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (582g)
- Sodium 177.817465833333 mg
- Sugar 14.7601500887394 g
- Trans Fat 4.94443073833335 g
- Calories 893 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 425.
- Chop all of the vegetables and add to a 9x13 baking disk or a roasting pan. Coat the vegetables with 1/2 of the oil, and salt and pepper with 1/2 of the salt and pepper. Max a small hole in the middle of the vegetables where the chicken will go and place the garlic there.
- Rinse the chicken off in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Rub the remaining oil over the chicken and place on top of the hole made in the vegetables.
- Use the remaining salt and pepper on the chicken.
- Place the sprigs of rosemary inside the quartered lemon and place the whole lemon inside the cavity of the chicken.
- Put in oven and cook for 45 minutes.
- Pull the roast out and baste the chicken with the juices from the lemon and any juices in the pan. I also find juices near the legs.
- Place back in oven and cook an additional 30 minutes.
- pull out and using a thermometer, validate that the chicken has reached the correct temperature. If it hasn't, place back into the oven for another 15 minutes. Repeat this process until done.
- Once done, let rest for 10 minutes before cutting the chicken. After 10 minutes, turn the chicken cavity side down and let all of the juices fall into the pan of vegetables.
- Place the chicken onto a cutting board and carve. Cut the meat up into bit size pieces and add back in with the vegetables. Mix everything together and serve. For a nicer presentation, keep the chicken separate from the vegetables and plate side by side. I mix together as my kids are more likely to eat vegetables this way.
A whole onion acts as the ultimate cost-effective anchor for this roasting pan, absorbing melting fats and aromatics while keeping the bird elevated above direct scorching heat. Roasting a whole bird instead of buying fragmented parts yields significantly more edible weight per dollar spent, while the surrounding root vegetables absorb the rendering drippings to create a complete meal without extra pans. Taking cold poultry straight from the refrigerator into a 425-degree oven results in uneven cooking because the interior remains chilled while the outer breast tissue dries out, making room-temperature tempering essential before roasting begins.
Judging Doneness Without a Probe Thermometer
Checking poultry doneness accurately requires evaluating physical cues when specialized kitchen tools are unavailable. Piercing the thickest part of the thigh meat between the leg and the body should yield clear juices rather than pink or cloudy liquid. Wiggling the drumstick joint should reveal loose movement in the socket, indicating that the connective tissue has broken down sufficiently. Roasting for an initial forty-five minutes followed by thirty-minute intervals prevents overcooking while allowing precise monitoring of the browning process.
- Allow cooked meat to rest for ten minutes before carving to let internal juices redistribute throughout the muscle fibers instead of pooling on the cutting board.
- Store leftover shredded meat and roasted vegetables together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Reheat refrigerated portions gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water to restore moisture without drying the protein.
