Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

Prepare Chicken

1. Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken cavity, if included. With a pair of kitchen tweezers, remove any pinfeathers from the skin. Optional: 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.
2. Let the chicken stand at room temperature for 1-1/2 hours before roasting.

Prepare Vegetables

1. Peel and trim the onion and cut it into quarters, leaving the root end intact. Peel and cut rutabagas and turnips into 3/4-inch wedges. Leave the potatoes whole if they're 1-1/2 inches in diameter; if they're larger, cut them into wedges. Leave the baby carrots whole.
2. Toss all of the vegetables with 4 garlic cloves, 3 sprigs of thyme, and 1/4 cup oil in a large roasting pan. Season with a few pinches of salt and grinds of pepper.

Roast

1. Preheat oven to 475°F with the rack in the lower middle position.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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 chicken and loosely tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
5. Rub the remaining oil over the chicken and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Distribute the remaining butter over the breast in pats, "smushing" it in a bit.
6. Nestle the chicken into the root vegetables and roast for 25 minutes. Decrease the oven temperature to 400°F and continue roasting for 45-50 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh (away from the bone) reads 165°F when probed with an instant-read thermometer and the juices run clear. If undercooked, continue roasting until the chicken reaches temperature (thoroughly wash probe between uses).
7. 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.
8. Gently toss the vegetables with the pan juices before serving. Carve the chicken and serve.