Easy-Peasy Roasted Whole Chicken with Vegetables A One-Pot Wonder!

My mom makes this for dinner probably every other week. Its an easy yummy dinner that doesn't take much time to put together.

• Large Roasting Pan
• 1 – approximately 5-6 pound whole chicken, rinsed and dried
• 2 - 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon dried Rosemary or Thyme
• 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
• 1 ½  Tablespoons Kosher salt, divided
• 2-3 teaspoons Paprika
• 1 whole sweet onion, chopped
• 2-3 whole carrots, peeled and chopped (or two handfuls of baby carrots)
• 1-2 ribs of celery, rinsed and chopped
• 4 medium potatoes (russet or Yukon gold), scrubbed and chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Spray your large roasting pan with PAM or other oil spray.
3. Place all your vegetables in the pan. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt, toss well to coat vegetables. Set aside.
4. Make sure your chicken has all the innards removed. Rinse and dry well. Separate the skin from the flesh of the chicken on the breasts and legs. Take half the butter and mush in the space, moving it all over the flesh. Take the other half of the butter and rub the outside of the chicken, all over.
5. Sprinkle Rosemary (or Thyme), salt, and paprika over the top of the bird.
6. Tuck the wings under the chicken. Take some of the onions, carrots and celery and place inside the body cavity. Tie up the legs (trussing, if you know how to do that. Otherwise, just tie the end of the legs together in a slip knot with kitchen twine.).
7. Place chicken directly on top of the vegetables.
8. Place in preheated oven on the middle rack and roast for 2 hours. Check the thigh or breast temperature, making sure it hits 165˚F. Take out of oven, and let rest for 5-10 minutes before carving. That way, the juices stabilize in the chicken.
9. Carve and serve with roasted vegetables and pour the jus of the chicken over the vegetables and chicken. YUMMO!
10. Second dinner from chicken: Save broth for a stunning chicken soup base. In a large pot, pour in left over broth with the carcass of the chicken and add 2-4 cups of water. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Remove bones and strain broth. Add 1-2 teaspoons dried dill weed. Add cooked chicken as well as noodles or rice. Cook through. Great for colds!