Roasted Chicken with Maple-Thyme Root Vegetables

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Peel potatoes, turnips. carrots, and shallots and cut into chunks. Thinly slice garlic cloves. Combine in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine salt and pepper.

Mix syrup, oil, half the salt and pepper mixture, and thyme (use 1–2 sprigs of fresh if you have it on hand). Whisk well and pour over vegetables, using your hands to toss and coat thoroughly.

Arrange vegetables in a large glass baking dish. Bake for 30–40 minutes until just starting to soften; stir once halfway through cooking.

Rub both sides of the chicken with the remaining salt and pepper to create a “crust,” then place on top of vegetable mixture. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and cook 15–20 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through; to brown evenly, turn chicken over halfway through cooking. Allow chicken to rest 5 minutes, then slice into thick pieces.

Arrange each plate with roasted vegetables and sliced chicken. Add additional thyme leaves for garnish and drizzle drippings from the glass dish over top. Serve with whole grain roll and sliced kiwi on the side.