Sunday cooking!
Homemade roasted chicken is tender, juicy, flavor-packed, golden, and delicious. The aromatics really make the chicken. Stuff the belly full of lemons, garlic cloves, sage, rosemary, thyme, and pretty much any other kind herb you’ve got on hand. Brush on melted butter and sprinkle the bird with lemon pepper seasoning.
It’ll make the whole house smell delicious and give you all those cozy Sunday feels!
Check out these other favorites….Roasted Chicken and cabbage, Roast chicken on Sourdough, and Roast Chicken with Tomatoes, Basil and Ciabatta.
Crispy Roast Chicken with Vegetables
Serves 4
1 whole chicken (about 4 -5 lbs.), patted very dry; giblets removed
Salt and pepper
1 lemon, quartered
1 stalk celery, quartered
1 bunch fresh thyme
A few sage leaves
1 bunch fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, peeled but not chopped
2 tablespoons butter, melted
6-8 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered OR a big handful of fingerling, sliced in half
6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (bite-size so that they’re sure to cook through)
1 onion, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kitchen twine, for tying
Preheat oven to 425°F.
To begin, take some paper towels and pat the chicken dry, both inside and out. Remove any excess fat from the chicken’s cavity.
Season chicken cavity with salt and pepper.
Stuff chicken cavity with lemon chunks, celery, half of the thyme sprigs, half of the rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves.
Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wings underneath the bird. Place chicken (breast-side up) in a large roasting pan.
Drizzle or brush melted butter over the outside of the chicken or stuff pats of butter under the skin. Season liberally all over with salt and pepper.
Place potatoes, carrots, and onion in a cast iron pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Tuck the remaining sprigs of thyme and rosemary in the pan with the vegetables.
Roast the chicken and vegetables in the oven for about 20 minutes per pound, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F when a thermometer is inserted into between a leg and thigh (not touching the bone). Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
- For the crispiest skin, make sure that your chicken is very dry before roasting.
- Cooking time will vary depending on the total weight of your chicken. Always use a thermometer to test the internal temperature of the meat to know when it’s done.
- Truss the chicken. This only takes a minute or two, but tying together the chicken legs with twine and tucking the wings underneath helps the chicken cook evenly.
- Season liberally. Don’t be shy with the salt. This is a big piece of meat, so you want to add plenty of flavor by using enough seasoning.
- For the juiciest meat, allow the chicken to rest for at least 10-15 minutes before carving.
