Whole Roasted Chicken with Vegetables #SundaySupper

Whole Roasted Chicken with Vegetables is a comforting meal perfect for the fall season. In addition to the roasted chicken, this complete dinner also incorporates my favorite fall flavor, butternut squash, and Popeye's favorite veg, nutrient rich spinach all cooked together in one skillet. That's a lot of good-for-you stuff all in one pan!

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The #SundaySupper Tastemakers have been busy in the kitchen creating fall inspired recipes to celebrate the flavors of the season. At the bottom of this page you'll find links to all of this week's #SundaySupper recipes. You'll want to click on each one to start planning your fall inspired meals. A big thank you goes out to The Sunday Supper Movement for making this event possible.

I am so looking forward to the cooler temperatures and drier weather fall brings to Florida! It's been a long, hot summer, and I'm ready to emerge from my hibernation to enjoy the beautiful weather, as well as turn on the oven and actually welcome the warmth in our home. Yes, this time of year that transitions us from summer to winter, is a welcome one in our house!

The way I cook just seems to naturally change with the weather, so as fall approaches and I'm anxiously awaiting the cooler temps, I start to move toward those cooking methods I've missed all summer long. Roasted or braised meals, taking advantage of seasonally fresh vegetables, replace the faster grilled or sauteed meals we enjoyed over the summer.

This recipe for a whole roasted chicken with vegetables is one of my faves, because it is so easy to make, cooks all in one skillet, and is budget-friendly too! This meal is less than $4 per person!! You can't eat out for that price! Less mess and less money is a good combo, don't ya think?

I made this in a cast-iron skillet, but any roasting pan will do. Be sure to give yourself an hour and a half from start to finish to get this on the table. Don't fret that time though, the prep is easy and once the skillet is in the oven, there's nothing left to do, so you can pop open a bottle of wine and relax while the oven does all the work <smile>

To make this delicious dinner, preheat the oven to 400°F. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Retrieve the neck and giblets from the cavity and discard or save them to make broth for another use. Carefully loosen the skin from the breast and legs by gently pushing your fingers under the skin.

Prepare the rub by combining 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of dried sage. Rub the garlic mixture on the meat under the skin. Tuck the wing tips under the chicken like you would put your hands behind your neck to kick back and relax in the sun.

Add chopped butternut squash and freshly minced garlic to the pan all around the chicken. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and pour 2 tablespoons melted butter over the squash. Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter on the chicken skin. Tip: Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin from the butternut squash.

Place the skillet in the preheated oven and set the timer for 1 hour. Pour a glass of wine and find a quiet place to relax! You are officially 'busy cooking dinner'. It's hard work but someone has to do it, right?! 

After an hour, check the internal temperature by inserting an instant read thermometer into the meatiest part of the thigh. If the temp registers 160°F, you're ready to add the spinach. Carefully (don't burn yourself) stuff the fresh spinach leaves all around the chicken pushing it down into the liquid as much as you can. It will look like way too much, but don't worry, the spinach will wilt and shrink and, if you're like me, you'll wish you had more. Marvel at the beauty. Isn't that gorgeous?!

Put the skillet back in the oven for another 5 minutes to wilt the spinach. The leaves on top will look a little dry, but that's okay. After the 5 minutes is up, remove it from the oven and push those leaves down into the liquid. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Enjoy!

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Whole Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

By Life Tastes Good
Published 09/27/2015

Ingredients

• 1 (5 lb, approximately) roasting chicken
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 (5 to 6 ounces) bag of fresh baby spinach

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Retrieve the neck and giblets from the cavity and discard or save them to make broth for another use. Carefully loosen the skin from the breast and legs by gently pushing your fingers under the skin. Place the chicken in a 10-12 inch cast-iron skillet.
2. Prepare the rub by combining 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of dried sage. Rub the garlic mixture on the meat under the skin. Tuck the wing tips under the chicken like you would put your hands behind your neck to kick back and relax in the sun.
3. Add chopped butternut squash and 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic to the pan all around the chicken. Season the squash with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and pour 2 tablespoons melted butter over the squash. Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter on the chicken skin. Tip: Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin from the butternut squash.
4. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and set the timer for 1 hour or until an instant read thermometer registers 160°F when inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh.
5. Carefully (don't burn yourself) stuff the fresh spinach leaves all around the chicken pushing it down into the liquid as much as you can. It will look like way too much, but don't worry, the spinach will wilt and shrink and, if you're like me, you'll wish you had more. Marvel at the beauty.
6. Put the skillet back in the oven for another 5 minutes to wilt the spinach. The leaves on top will look a little dry, but that's okay. After the 5 minutes is up, remove it from the oven and push those leaves down into the liquid. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 15 mins.

Cook time: 1 hrs. 00 mins.
Total time: 1 hrs. 15 mins.

Tags: Roasted, Chicken, Vegetables, Fall, Season, Butternut Squash, Spinach, Skillet, Dinner, Meal

Recipe inspired by myrecipes.com Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Butternut Squash

Breakfast

• Apple-Currant Dutch Baby Pancake by The Weekend Gourmet
• Apple Swirled Pumpkin Yeast Bread by What Smells So Good?
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread by Party Food and Entertaining
• Giant Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tart by Pies and Plots
• Sweet Potato Buttermilk Biscuits by Tara’s Multicultural Table

Appetizers and Sides

• Butternut Squash, Cauliflower and Cabbage Soup with Lentils by Monica's Table
• Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins by Pancake Warriors
• Pumpkin Spice Roasted Sweet Potatoes by Love and Confections
• Roasted Veggie Tart by Books n’ Cooks

Main Dishes

• Acorn Squash Stuffed with Roasted Veggies & Couscous by Momma’s Meals
• Butternut Squash Lentil Curry Soup by Food Done Light
• Curry Beef Pies by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Fantasy Rice by The Petit Gourmet
• King Prawns in Red Sauce – Mauritian Style Creole Sauce by Peachy Tales
• Pasta with Creamy Butternut & Bacon by Cooking Chat
• Pork Chops with Apple Dijon Sauce and Arugula Salad by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Pork Chops with Glazed Apples and Vegetables by The Complete Savorist
• Quinoa and Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash by Feeding Big and More
• Roasted Tomato Soup with Bacon/Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich by A Gouda Life
• Salt Roasted Salmon over Roasted Butternut & Yam Soup by Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken, Delicata Squash and Olives by Foodie Tots
• Sweet Potato French Bean Lentil Salad by Food Lust People Love
• Sweet Potato Alfredo Sauce by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Thai Curry Pumpkin Soup by Eating in Instead
• Whole Roasted Chicken with Vegetables by Life Tastes Good

Desserts and Cocktails

• Apfelkuchen by Curious Cuisiniere
• Applesauce Cake with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Swirls by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Apple Gingersnap Refrigerator Dessert by Recipes Food and Cooking
• Autumn Bellini by An Appealing Plan
• Autumn Spice Cookies by Desserts Required
• Caramel Apple Napoleons by The Crumby Cupcake
• Caramel Apple Pie Bundles by The Freshman Cook
• Caramel Apple Streusel Muffins by The Redhead Baker
• Caramel Apple Swirl Cheesecake No-Churn Ice Cream by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Cheesecake Swirl Pumpkin Muffins by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Chestnut and Pear Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream by Caroline’s Cooking
• Dark Chocolate-Espresso Pumpkin Tiramisu by Brunch with Joy
• Dutch Apple Pie by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake with Butterscotch Drizzle by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
• Pumpkin Chocolate Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Pumpkin Crisp by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Pumpkin Pecan Bundt Cake by Flour On My Face
• Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter Cookies by Palatable Pastime
• Roasted Maple Pears by Amee’s Savory Dish
• Spiced Pear Cake by Simply Healthy Family
• Spiced Pumpkin Bread by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
• Sweet Apple Skillet Cake by Nosh My Way

Plus, A Guide to Apples plus Best Fall Recipes Ideas for #SundaySupper 

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.