Mustard-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Somebody at work printed this recipe from RealSimple.com and forgot it on the printer, so I took it home. It is really easy and delicious, but the hard part is eating it. I'm going to try it with just chicken breasts next time, because it was quite a mess--for me, anyway. My Kenyan roommate handled it without getting it all over herself, probably because of the fact that they buy chickens live at the market, have them slaughtered, and defeather the birds themselves. I guess a few bones are nothing after that.


1 4-pound chicken, cut up into 8 pieces
3 tbsp. whole grain mustard
2 tbsp. soy sauce
kosher salt and pepper
4 small carrots, cut up, or baby carrots
1 medium fennel bulb, cut into wedges
1 red onion, cut into wedges
8 sprigs of thyme (which I forgot--I just sprinkled dried thyme over the top at the end)
2 tbsp. olive oil

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine the mustard, soy sauce, 1/4 tsp. of pepper, and spread it over the chicken. I put it mostly beneath the skin, and just a little on the outside.

Combine the vegetables and thyme in a baking dish or roasting pan, and drizzle olive oil over the top. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top. Lay the chicken pieces among the vegetables.

Roast for 45-50 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

I ate these with mashed potatoes. (Instant ones, butter and herb Idahoans with sour cream mixed in, and I offer no apologies for it!)