Easy Garlic Thyme Roast Chicken with Cauliflower

Ingredients

• 4 lb. Whole Chicken
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tbsp sea salt
• 1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 heads of garlic one sliced in half, other head divided into cloves (skin on or off, doesn’t matter)
• 1 head cauliflower cut into florets or add half broccoli
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 500°
2. Rinse chicken and pat dry
3. Stuff cavity of chicken with butter, 8 sprigs of thyme, 1 head of garlic cut in half, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper
4. Season outside of chicken with remaining salt and pepper
5. Place chicken in a large cast iron pan and place in oven, legs first. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and using a wooden spoon, inserted into the cavity of the chicken, shimmy the chicken around a bit so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
6. Scatter cauliflower, remaining garlic cloves and thyme around chicken. *Note* if your pan isn’t big enough to fit all of the cauliflower place 1/2 on separate baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Do not overcrowd the pan with chicken
7. Place chicken and cauliflower back in oven for 30 minutes. Stirring cauliflower once during cooking.
8. The cook time is for a 4 lb. chicken, essentially 10 minutes per pound. Add or reduce time according to size of your chicken.
9. Remove cast iron pan from oven, and carefully lift chicken out of pan allowing juices to drip onto cauliflower. Place chicken on a large cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes. If you roasted additional cauliflower separately add it chicken pan and toss together with other cauliflower. Allowing all the luscious chicken juices, butter, garlic, and thyme to coat the cauliflower.
10. Carve chicken and serve immediately.

Photo and recipe from Abra’s Kitchen.