Recipe courtesy of Squash Villa Farm
“Heritage breed chickens have well-developed flavor. Cooking them slower and at a lower temperature allows the legs and thighs to cook fully without overcooking the breasts.”
Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
- Whole heritage chicken* (Delaware, Ameraucana, or another breed)
- 2 Tbls melted butter
- Salt and pepper
- 1 large yellow onion*, thickly sliced
- 4 carrots* cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 bulb of garlic*, split into cloves
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Remove chicken from refrigerator and allow to warm to ambient temperature.
- Remove any leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Brush the outside of the chicken with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the breasts loosely with aluminum foil to prevent the meat from overcooking. Place the onions, carrots, and whole garlic cloves in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
- Roast the chicken covered, breast up for 30 minutes per pound. The juices will run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest. If the carrots aren’t tender, continue roasting until tender.