Roast Chicken in a Dutch Oven

The Dutch Oven is one of my favorite pieces to cook with in my kitchen.  It is the perfect pot for soups, stews, braising, or roasting meats.  I also use it for tons of dishes that need to start on the stovetop and then finish cooking in the oven.  This roast chicken is a terrific example of that.  I give the onions a quick sauté before adding the rest of the ingredients and moving everything to the oven to finish roasting.  It turns out a beautifully roasted chicken with tender and moist vegetables creating a one-pot dinner with very little hands-on time.

1 roasting chicken
2 large onions, thickly sliced
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2-3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 T olive oil
1 cup water
1 T butter
1-2 tsp. rosemary, chopped
salt and pepper

Heat the oil over medium and add the sliced onions and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 8-10 minutes and then add carrots and potatoes.  Stir vegetables around to coat in oil and then spread them to the outside edges.  Place the chicken in the middle of the pot and add one cup of water.  (The water will help cook the vegetables and keep your chicken moist.)  Season the chicken and vegetables with salt, pepper, and rosemary.  Add a tablespoon of butter to the top of the chicken and then place the entire dutch oven (without the lid) in a preheat 375 degree oven for about an hour and a half (more or less depending on the size of your chicken.  You should start checking the internal temp. after an hour.  Just place the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.)  Your chicken is ready when the internal temperature reaches between 165-175 degrees.  Remove from oven and let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.