Roasted Chicken with Roasted Vegetables and Parsley Potatoes

When I am eating cleaner, I love roasting vegetables and chicken. It's quick, easy, healthy, and roasting brings out the natural flavors. You don't have to add a lot of extra flavors to make these tasty.

Roasted Chicken

 4-5 lb whole chicken (organic if you can)
1 TBSP salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp sage
olive oil

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove giblets from the breast cavity and throw them away. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Using two fingers, separate skin from breast meat, without removing skin or tearing it. Pour about 2 TBSP olive oil over the chicken and under the skin on the breast. Sprinkle with all seasonings on the skin and UNDER the skin on the breast meat. Place onto a cookie sheet with a baking rack. Roast at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes-20 minutes per pound. To check doneness, cut the skin next to the leg, if the juices run clear and not pink, the chicken is done. If pink, chicken is still not cooked through. Once juices run clear, remove from oven and cover with foil. Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving. To reduce fat intake, do not eat the skin.

Roasted Vegetables

2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
1 lb baby bella mushrooms (or white button)
olive oil
1 TBSP salt
1 tsp pepper
1 TBSP tarragon

Cut zucchini and squash into circles. Place them and the mushrooms on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with about 1-2 TBSP olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 degrees F the last 25 minutes the chicken is roasting, stirring half way through. Once roasted til soft and slightly brown, remove from oven and sprinkle with tarragon.

Parsley Potatoes

2 lbs red potatoes
2 TBSP parsley minced (fresh is best)
salt
pepper
2 TBSP butter, melted

Cut potatoes in half, then in half again, so that each potato is cut into 8 pieces. Place in a 8 qt pan and cover with COLD water and about 1 TBSP salt. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Once in a boil, reduce to a simmer, cooking until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the water and place potatoes back into cooking pot. Add butter, parsley and sprinkle with salt and pepper.