Who’s ready for turkey day? Most years our little family road trips with friends to Flagstaff, Arizona. We pack up the jeep and head out for the 12-hour drive to our friend’s cabin there, stopping in Moab to camp halfway. Sadly, the drive felt like a bit much for us this year and we’ve decided to stay in Denver. There will only be three of us at the dinner table so I’ve opted to make a roast chicken as the main dish. I’m OBSESSED with this recipe because it’s delicious, super simple and looks and tastes way more complicated than it is.

Are you having a small Thanksgiving? Consider swapping my chicken recipe for your turkey. I don’t think you’ll regret it one bit!

Ingredients:

3-4 lb Roasting chicken

½ lb Brussel sprouts, halved

2 Cups cauliflower florets

1 Large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 Purple onion, cut into large chunks

3 Carrots, cut into large chunks

7 Cloves of garlic, peeled

1 Tbsp melted coconut oil

1 Lemon, halved

¼ tsp salt

For the spice rub:

1 Tbsp dried basil

1 Tbsp sea salt

Method:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees

• Mix together salt and dried basil in a small bowl and set aside

• Place sweet potato, carrot, Brussel sprouts, onion and garlic cloves into a large dutch oven, toss with coconut oil and sprinkle with salt

• Pat chicken dry with paper towels or clean cloth

• Take ½ of the lemon and rub it all over the chicken skin

• Place both halves of the lemon in the cavity of the chicken

• Take spice rub and coat the bird in ALL OF IT (salt helps it retain moisture so don’t be shy), making sure you get in between the thighs, etc.

• Place bird on top of vegetables in the dutch oven, breast down

• Pop this in the oven for 30 minutes

• Once the timer goes off, lower the temperature to 375 and carefully flip the bird to make the breasts face up, cook for another 45 minutes

• Once an the timer goes off, place a meat thermometer between the thigh and the chicken breast to make sure it has reached 165 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, cut between the thigh and breast to see if juices run clear.

• If it’s not at 165 (or very close) put it back in. If it’s at a safe temperature, pull it out of the oven and let set for 20 minutes

• Carefully remove bird and place on a serving dish then nestle it in with the roasted veggies

Tah Dah! If you give this a try please let me know what you think. I have been working on this one once a week for the past couple months. I think I’ve perfected the recipe and I’d love to hear from those of you who give it a shot.

Lots of love,

Whitney