Rosemary Roasted Chicken with Dates and Apples (with a side of crispy roasted fingerling potatoes)

The dates and apples caramelize to make this a very delicious chicken. Make sure to use fresh dates!

Created in our kitchen

Ingredients:
~3.5-4 lb fresh chicken
~1/4 lb fresh dates, pitted (To remove the pit, simply slice into the date with a paring knife. The pit resembles a small almond)
~1 apple, cored and cut into slices
~2 sprigs fresh rosemary (removed from stems and chopped) or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
~4 tbs butter, softened
~1/2 tsp salt
~1/2 tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425. Combine butter, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
2. Rinse chicken inside and out and pat dry. Place in dutch oven or roasting pan.
3. Using your fingers, rub 1/2 of butter mixture under the skin around breast and thighs. Rub the rest of the mixture on the outside of the chicken - this will give you that lovely brown skin!
4. Place a few dates and a few apple slices inside the cavity of the chicken. Put the rest around the outside of the chicken in the pan.
5. Roast chicken in oven for about an hour and a half uncovered, or until internal temperature reaches 160.

To make potatoes, you will need two pounds of fingerling potatoes. Slice into rounds and put in a bowl with 2-3 tbs. olive oil (we used a garlic olive oil and it was delicious!) Toss potatoes to coat and arrange on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast with the chicken for 35-40 minutes.