Let me give you the easiest dinner recipe possible. Order a chicken from CSA+ – they deliver right to most Early Morning Farm Pick-up sites. Take a minute or two to slice the backbone out of the chicken and flatten. (It will cook in half the time and be evenly cooked throughout). It’s pretty easy, but here’s a great video on how to do it. Save the backbone and any extra bones from the meal in the freezer to make homemade stock. Season the chicken all over with salt and set aside.
Chop whatever root vegetables come in your CSA Share into one or two inch chunks and spread in the bottom of a roasting pan or large cast iron skillet. Try rutabaga, turnips, carrots, potatoes, beets, radishes, or even cubed winter squash.
Lay some fresh herbs over the top and season with salt and pepper. Try thyme, sage, rosemary, a dried bay leaf, or parsley.
Lay the chicken over the vegetables and roast for 30 – 45 minutes, until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F or the juices run clear. Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Flat Roasted Chicken with CSA Vegetables
1 3 – 4lb whole chicken, backbone removed
3 – 4 cups mixed root vegetables chopped into uniform cubes
a few sprigs fresh herbs
kosher salt
fresh black pepper
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Season the chicken all over with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. (Mix the salt and pepper in a small bowl first and you won’t have to keep washing your hands). Don’t be shy with the salt, it really brings out the flavor of the chicken. Set chicken aside.
Place the vegetables in a roasting pan or large cast iron skillet. Spread into an even layer about the size of the flattened chicken. Lay fresh herbs over the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (don’t be so generous here, some of the salty flavor of the chicken will drip onto the veggies so just use a bit, or skip it altogether.) Roast the chicken and vegetables for 30 – 45 minutes until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F or the juices run clear. Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
