ROASTED CHICKEN WITH POTATOES IN DUTCH OVEN

5 1/2-6 lbs roasting chicken

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1 head of garlic separated into cloves, peeled

3 sprigs rosemary

2 lemons, halved

2 lbs potatoes, cut in large chunks

Preheat oven to 375 F. 

Discard the giblets. Remove visible fat from the cavity. Wash the chicken inside and out under cold running water; dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Spread a little olive oil in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Place potato chunks in the bottom of the Dutch oven.

Lightly season the chicken's cavity with salt and pepper, pour in a spoonful of oil, and stuff in a handful of garlic and rosemary. Squeeze in the juice of a lemon and add the lemon halves. Truss the chicken, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set it breast up in the Dutch oven. Squeeze the remaining lemon over the chicken and toss the lemon halves in the Dutch oven. Distribute the remaining garlic cloves around the chicken. 

Place the covered Dutch oven in the lower third of the preheated oven and roast 1-1 1/2 hours.

Remove the cover from the Dutch oven and turn up the oven to 400 F. Roast 1/2 hour.

Remove the chicken from the Dutch oven and set on a cutting board and tent. Cover the Dutch oven and place back in the turned-off oven to keep the potatoes warm. Allow the chicken to rest 20 minutes prior to carving. Serve with the potatoes in the bottom of the Dutch oven.