1poundsmall red-skinned potatoes(1-½ inch diameter)
6tablespoonscanola or vegetable oil
4tablespoonsunsalted butter, softened and divided
kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Instructions
Prepare Chicken
Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken cavity, if included. Remove any pinfeathers from the skin with a pair of kitchen tweezers. Let the chicken stand at room temperature for 1-½ hours before roasting.
Prepare Vegetables
Peel and trim the onion and cut into quarters (leave root end intact). Peel and cut rutabagas and turnips into ¾-inch wedges.
Toss all of the vegetables with 4 garlic cloves, 3 sprigs of thyme, and ¼ cup oil in a large roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. For a neat carving presentation, cut the wishbone out of the chicken by scraping your knife along the flesh surrounding the bone and twisting it out with your fingers.
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the softened butter with 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves and the parsley. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Using your fingertips or a spoon, gently loosen the space between the breast meat and skin. (Be careful not to tear the skin.) Evenly distribute the herb butter under the breast skin.
Season the chicken's cavity with a liberal sprinkling of kosher salt and pepper. Add 4 garlic cloves and 5 sprigs of thyme, and rub them against the cavity walls. Tuck the wings under the body and loosely tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
Rub the remaining canola oil over the chicken and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Distribute the remaining butter over the breast.
Place the chicken on top of the root vegetables and roast for 25 minutes. Decrease the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and continue roasting for 45 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh (away from the bone) reads 165 degrees F when probed with a thermometer. If undercooked, continue roasting until the chicken reaches temperature and the juices run clear (thoroughly wash probe between uses).
Place the chicken on a cutting board, loosely tent with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Check the vegetables for doneness and return them to the oven to crisp while the chicken is resting, if needed. Gently toss with the pan juices before serving. Carve the chicken and serve.