Try this easy, flavorful roasted chicken recipe

This is one of the easiest roasted chicken recipes you’ll find. The chicken cooks faster and more evenly by removing the chicken’s backbone, and flattening it by a process called spatchcocking.

There are numerous varieties of flavored olive oils online if you can’t find them in your local grocery store. A little will go a long way, but that drizzle will add a fantastic finishing flavor. I am particularly fond of either rosemary or garlic flavors.

ROASTED ROSEMARY CHICKEN

• 1 (3-pound) chicken

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

• 2 large onions, thickly sliced

• 2 medium carrots, peeled

• 2 ribs celery, ends trimmed

• 1 bay leaf

• 3 to 4 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon rosemary olive oil, to drizzle

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

I spatchcocked the chicken by removing the backbone with kitchen shears, turning the chicken breast side up and pressing down on the breast bone until it broke. The chicken then can be flattened. You can certainly roast the bird whole if desired.

Rinse the chicken with water and pat dry with paper towels. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle thyme leaves over chicken. Arrange the onion slices, carrots, celery, bay leaf and rosemary sprigs in the bottom of a small roasting pan in such a way as to make a bed for the chicken to lie on while roasting.

Place the chicken on the bed of vegetables, breast-side up, and roast in the oven until the skin is golden brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Continue to roast until the chicken is cooked through with an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 35 to 45 minutes longer.

Remove the chicken from the oven, tent with foil and set aside to rest for 10 minutes before carving. When ready to serve the chicken, drizzle with rosemary olive oil to taste. Garnish with fresh herb sprigs.

SMASHED ROASTED POTATOES

Versions of this recipe have been spread far and wide on social media. I like that you can make as few or many as you need.

• 6 to 8 white new potatoes

• Salt

• Pepper

• Rosemary olive oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt to the water. Add potatoes and let them cook for 7 to 8 minutes, until a knife can be inserted easily.

Drain potatoes and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Using a heavy glass or a meat mallet, press downward on each potato until it is “smashed.” Lightly salt and pepper the potatoes.

Bake for 15 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully turn the potatoes over. Salt and pepper the potatoes and return to oven for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until golden browned. Drizzle with rosemary olive oil and serve.