Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Everything in this recipe is additive-free.

Cook peppers until they begin to colour

Slice peppers and place in skillet with shallot and thyme

Top with whole chicken and roast

Roast chicken with bell peppers, lemon and thyme

Ingredients:

4 large bell peppers (any colour)

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1 Fresno chile, thinly sliced crosswise

5 sprigs thyme, divided

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

¼ cup (60 ml) plus 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 3½–4-lb. (1.6-1.8 kg) chicken, patted dry

1 lemon, halved

Preparation:

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425° F (218° C). Heat a large ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Cook bell peppers in skillet, turning every minute or two, until blistered in several spots, about 5 minutes. (You aren’t trying to cook them, just get some color on them.) Transfer bell peppers to a cutting board and let cool slightly; reserve skillet. Stand a pepper upright and slice off sides, working your way around stem in 3 or 4 cuts. Pull out ribs and seeds; discard along with stems. Repeat with remaining peppers.

Return peppers to skillet and add shallot, chile, and 3 thyme sprigs. Season generously with salt and black pepper and drizzle ¼ cup (60 ml) oil over. Season chicken all over with salt and black pepper and set on top of peppers. Place a lemon half and remaining 2 thyme sprigs in chicken cavity and rub skin all over with remaining 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) oil. Roast in oven until skin is golden brown and crisp all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 160° F  (71° C), 60–80 minutes. Remove from oven (be careful; handle is hot!) and let rest 15 minutes before transferring chicken to a cutting board and carving.

Just before serving, squeeze remaining lemon half over chicken and bell peppers. Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit