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1
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
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2
Place a nonstick roasting pan on a rack set low in oven.
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3
Season chicken with salt and pepper, and rub it with about a third of the butter or oil.
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4
When oven is hot, add another third of the butter or oil to pan.
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5
Place chicken in hot pan, breast up; roast 15 minutes, or until top begins to brown.
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6
Remove from oven, and scatter turnips around it; dot them with remaining butter, or drizzle with remaining oil.
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7
Tilt pan so juices run out of chicken.
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8
Roast 15 minutes longer, and then baste chicken with pan juices.
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9
Continue to roast (lower heat to 350 if bird is becoming too brown) until an instant-read thermometer inserted in meaty part of thigh registers 155 degrees, 15 to 30 minutes more.
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10
Remove bird from pan, and raise heat to 500 degrees.
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11
Return turnips to oven in pan.
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12
Let chicken rest while turnips brown, about 5 minutes.
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13
Carve chicken, and serve with turnips and pan juices.
