Rosemary and Thyme Roasted Whole Chicken with Teeny Tiny Potatoes

This dish is so elegant, you would never know it was so inexpensive and easy. All you need is a small whole chicken, a bag of Trader Joe's Teeny Tiny Potatoes, a generous handful of green beans, some simple seasonings and voila! No one would ever know you spent less than $10 and only about an hour of your time. Your kitchen will smell like the Mediterranean and everyone will be satisfied. You can even save the chicken carcass and leftover bits for stock and really stretch your money.


Rosemary and Thyme Roasted Whole Chicken with Teeny Tiny Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 Small Whole Chicken
• 1 Bag Teeny Tiny Potatoes (Trader Joe's, or any small potato - would work great with CSA potatoes)
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 1 Bunch Haricots Verts (French green beans, or whole string beans)
• 1 Lemon (I used a Meyer Lemon)
• 2-4 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme + 2 Sprigs for Stuffing
• Cracked Pepper
• Coarse Sea Salt
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Wash chicken inside and out with cold water and pat dry (don't forget to take out the giblets)
2. Place chicken in roast pan or glass dish, spray the chicken with EVOO (the spray gadget I have is amazing - you can just brush a bit on)
3. Salt and pepper the chicken inside and out (I was a bit heavy handed and it turned out perfect)
4. Set oven to 350 degrees
5. Quarter lemon and onion, stuff into cavity
6. Wash herbs and add 2 sprigs rosemary and a handful of thyme to chicken cavity
7. Place in oven and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours (until juices run clear)
8. Pluck 1 tablespoon thyme into medium bowl, set aside
9. Pluck 1/2 the rosemary and chop finely (I find a lot of people who "don't like rosemary" don't like dry rosemary and don't like that the needles are prickly, so chopping them finely resolves this and you still get the amazing flavor)
10. Add plucked rosemary, salt and pepper to bowl
11. Wash and halve potatoes, add to herb mixture
12. Toss with EVOO, place on foiled baking sheet and roast with chicken for 45 minutes to 1 hour, shaking the pan halfway through
13. I cheated on the haricots verts, as Trader Joe's has them frozen and I ran out of energy - microwaved according to directions and sprayed with EVOO topped with a dash of cracked pepper

My daughter thought this meal was quite civilized and remarked at how fancy it all looked. We used cloth napkins and lit some candles for mood lighting. A simple, elegant and inexpensive way to impress.