Cast Iron Roasted Chicken with Farm Fresh Carrots and Beets

Maybe we've already done a roasted chicken before but this is a nice alternative to a roasting pan. It comes out moist and delicious in a heavy cast iron pan.

Preheat the oven to 475 with cast iron pan IN OVEN

You will need:

• One whole chicken (4 lbs or so- this will feed three or so depending on hunger) 
• One bunch of farm fresh carrots (about 6 small) (scrubbed clean tops removed and saved)
• Two/ three large farm fresh beets (scrubbed clean tops removed and saved)
• 1/2 Red onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 Cloves of garlic, peeled and whole 
• 1/3 Stick of butter (melted) 
• Olive oil (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard 
• 2 Tablespoons Pomegranate molasses 
• Few sprigs fresh parsley 
• Few sprigs fresh thyme
• Few green spring onions 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 21 Seasoning spice (this is a blend created by Trader Joe's - it's optional) 

While the oven is preheating to the high of 475, take the time to wash your herbs and veggies. Cut tops off of the carrots and beets and set aside for cooking as greens for a side dish. Rinse out your chicken and remove any giblets or extra organs inside the bird. Place the fresh thyme and green spring onions right inside the empty bird cavity. 

Slice carrots length-wise and beets in thick round slices so the spiral inside shows. Lovely. Put the veggies in a bowl and add a third of the melted butter (yes, a third of a third), the garlic, onion, parsley (chopped well), mustard and pomegranate molasses. Stir and set aside. 

Take the hot cast iron out of the oven.  There's obviously fat surrounding this bird but if you want to ensure it not sticking to the hot pan go ahead and drizzle some olive oil at the bottom of the pan. Season the whole chicken with salt and pepper then place the chicken breast side down in pan- it will sizzle immediately. Pour the remainder of the butter over chicken and sprinkle with 21 spice- (you could sub this with a lemon/ pepper) Bake for 25 min. 

Take out of the oven. The breast side that is down is already starting to golden from the heat of the cast iron and the fattier side that is on top will. Turn the oven temperature down to 350. Add the bowl of veggies around the chicken. Place back in oven for another hour so until chicken and veggies are cooked through. 

What to do with beet and carrot tops? 

Don't throw them out. Chop roughly the beet tops and a little less than half the carrot tops just torn from the tops then chopped. Saute in a pan with olive oil on med heat with 1 tablespoon capers and sprinkle with a half handful of coconut sugar. Finish off with a dash of rice wine vinegar and coarse salt. This has bitter, sour, sweet and salty- such a goof combo! Yum.