This roasted chicken recipe is impressive, but simple enough to pull together on a weeknight.
Roasted chicken is a classic recipe to have on-hand, but sometimes roasting a whole bird can be intimidating. It's really pretty simple, and can make for a delicious one-skillet dinner.
In this recipe, I use potatoes, carrots, and onions for the vegetables, but you can use any root vegetables you'd like. Flexibility is part of what makes this dish so easy.
Simple Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Ingredients
4-4.5 pound whole chicken
1 pound red potatoes, halved (or quartered if larger)
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large onion, halved and quartered
2-3 celery sticks
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons of your favorite herb mix or seasoning blend
*I used a mix of rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, garlic, and paprika
1/4 cup chicken broth (water works too)
Remove your chicken from the package and rinse in a clean sink, inside and out. Remove "extras" like the neck if they are in the cavity of the chicken. Discard or save for stock. Pat your chicken dry, and then work your hands up under the skin on top of the chicken breast to separate the skin from the breast meat. This will make room for butter! Always a good thing. Take half of the softened butter and work it under the skin of one breast. You can use the skin on the outside to spread the butter around. Repeat on the other side.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare a large cast iron skillet or roasting pan. Add chopped vegetables to the pan and coat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Salt & pepper the vegetables, then toss to coat.
Make a little "nest" for your chicken in the middle of the veggies. Place chicken breast side up in skillet. Brush the chicken with a tablespoon or so of olive oil, making sure to coat everywhere. Salt and pepper the chicken. Then, sprinkle the herb seasoning all over - think flavor confetti! I like to add a few dashes to the vegetables too. Stuff the chicken cavity with the celery stalks and a few lemon wedges.
Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, pour the chicken broth or water into the pan with the vegetables. This helps to create some steam and finishes cooking the veggies. Bake for another 15-30 minutes depending on the size of your chicken. Internal temperature should reach 165 degrees, or if you don't have a meat thermometer handy, look for clear juices running out when you slice into the chicken where the leg meets the breast. Serve with the vegetables, enjoy!
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