Butter Roasted Chicken with Seasonal Root Vegetables

Simple root vegetables are the easiest side

We keep our roasted chicken simple. It doesn’t take many ingredients for a bird to sing. This recipe makes the most of root vegetables and gives turnips a bit of sweetness. Feel free to add carrots, onions or your other favorite roasting vegetables.

Butter Roasted Chicken with Seasonal Root Vegetables

• 1 4-5 lb whole chicken
• 2 parsnips, cut in big chunks
• 1 large turnip, peeled and cut into big chunks
• 1 large russet potato, peeled, cut into chunks
• 1 cup rutabaga (about a third of a large rutabaga), peeled and cut into chunks
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp honey
• juice from half a lemon
• salt/pepper

Rinse bird and remove any giblets. Season with salt and pepper. Toss vegetables into the bottom of a roasting pan. Melt butter and whisk in lemon juice and honey. Take a tablespoon and toss with the vegetables. Rub the rest over the chicken, making sure to put some between the skin and the breast. If using fresh lemon, shove the used lemon half in the cavity. Set in a rack over the vegetables. Roast at 365 until done, about 1 1/2 hours. The temperature should read 165.  Let rest for 1o minutes or so before carving.