In the summer (right around the corner) we often enjoy chicken under a brick, basically a chicken that’s been butterflied with the backbone removed, marinated, and weighted down with a press for grilling.  The rest of the year, I like to roast a chicken in its butterflied state.  It’s quicker and easier to prepare as a one-pan meal, with the chicken spread over a bed of vegetables.

Tonight we’re having our chicken which has been marinated in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and plenty of dried herbs – herbes de Provence, oregano, and more thyme, salt & pepper – laid over a bed of carrots, fresh fennel and onions, and surrounded with halved red potatoes.  I’ve tossed all the veggies in the chicken’s marinade and it will roast for just about an hour at 425.

It’s all done by eye – no specific measurements, but here’s a rundown of what I used:

1 4.5 lb Bell & Evans chicken with backbone and wingtips removed

About 1/4 cup each extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice + the grated zest from that lemon

About 1 tbsp each herbes de Provence, thyme, and oregano

2 plump garlic cloves minced

A generous sprinkling of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

A splash of dry vermouth over the chicken about halfway through the roasting

Marinate the chicken for as long as you wish in the fridge, then lay a bed of this in your roasting pan:

5 carrots, 2 bulbs fennel, one sweet onion – all cut into large slices or chunks and tossed with some of the chicken marinade

Lay the chicken on top of this, and toss a few halved red-skin potatoes in the rest of the marinade and lay it around the chicken.  Roast at 425, basting occasionally with an juices and splashing about 1/3 cup dry vermouth over the chicken.

Cut into serving pieces with poultry shears, and serve with the vegetables and some of the pan juices.