Golden roast chicken with apples, leeks and kale

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By: Mary John Resch

This recipe appeared in the News and Observer via the Chicago Tribune several years ago. I tried it and thought it was delicious. I used a large roasting pan and placed the chicken on a rack on the rim of the pan and found that this worked well. Then I was able to lift the rack and chicken off so I could stir the vegetables. You need a deeper pan to do this — a lasagna pan would probably work. The leftovers were good too!
This recipe is definitely worth the effort involved.

GOLDEN ROAST CHICKEN with APPLES, LEEKS AND KALE
2 teaspoons each dried ground sage and marjoram
or basil
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 whole broiler/fryer chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds or
2 chicken halves
1 large leek, ends trimmed, split lengthwise, well rinsed
4-5 cups roughly chopped lacinato or other tender kale,
about 6-ounces total
2 medium-large Honeycrisp apples, cored, cut into
1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix sage, marjoram, salt, thyme and pepper in a small dish. Place chicken on cutting board, breast side down. Use kitchen shears to cut out the backbone. Flip chicken over and split in half through the breastbone. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Rub all over the half of seasoning blend.
Cut the rinsed leek crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Mix the leek, kale and apples in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Sprinkle with the remaining seasoning blend; toss to mix well. Add the oil, toss again to coat. Set on wire rack over the vegetable mixture. Arrange the chicken halves and the rack. Roast, stirring the vegetables once, (be careful moving the chicken), until the chicken juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a fork and the vegetables are fork-tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
Move the chicken halves to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest 5 minutes. Spoon the vegetables and all the pan juices into a serving bowl. Cut the chicken halves into 2 pieces. Serve with the toast vegetables.