Everyone in the food blogging world is posting all their best, most decadent Christmas recipes right now and what am I doing? Roasting a chicken. That’s right. I’m a rebel.
Actually, a beautifully roasted chicken is a very welcome break from all the heavy, rich foods that go along with the Christmas season. And knowing how to roast a chicken is something every cook should learn. Roast chicken is a great week night meal, or it can be served at an elegant dinner as well. The prep time is minimal, clean up is easy and most everyone (vegetarians excluded) likes roast chicken.
I could make this recipe half asleep. It’s so easy you don’t even need my usual step-by-step photos. You can put this in the oven when you get home from work, go do some errands around the house and come back later to a complete meal from one roasting pan. We often have a roast chicken for Sunday night supper.
I learned this easy chicken roasting method many years ago, but it’s so close to the recipe published by Ina Garten that I felt I should at least acknowledge hers. If you need a break from the super-rich foods everyone’s enjoying right now, just pop this roast chicken in the oven and enjoy!
3-4 lb. chicken
1 lemon, halved or quartered
1 head garlic, cut crosswise
1 bunch thyme (25-30 stems)
2 tblsp. butter
Salt
Pepper
Carrots
Potatoes
Onions
¼ cup chicken broth
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Dry the chicken with paper towels before beginning. It helps the butter, salt and pepper stick to the surface of the skin. You could use olive oil if you want, but the butter gives the skin a richer color and helps it crisp up better than oil.
Start by lightly salting and peppering the inside of the chicken. Then place the lemon, garlic and about 2/3 of the thyme into the chicken. Spread the butter all over the surface of the skin (I just use my fingers) and then liberally salt and pepper the skin.
Prepare the vegetables by cutting the carrots and potatoes into bite-size chunks. Roughly cut the onions into large pieces. Place all the vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add the chicken broth and scatter the remaining thyme over. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the pan. The vegetables act like a roasting rack to keep the chicken off the surface of the pan. Pretty neat, huh?
Cook for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil. Allow the chicken to rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. If desired, return the vegetables to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes while the chicken rests.
Enjoy!
Makes a perfect roast chicken every single time!
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb. chicken
- 1 lemon, halved or quartered
- 1 head garlic, cut crosswise
- 1 bunch thyme (25-30 stems)
- 2 tblsp. butter
- Salt
- Pepper
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Onions
- ¼ cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Dry the chicken with paper towels before beginning. Salt and pepper the body cavity and place the lemon, garlic and about 2/3 of the thyme into the chicken. Spread butter all over the surface of the skin. Salt and pepper well.
- Prepare the vegetables by cutting the carrots and potatoes into bite-size chunks. Roughly cut the onions into large pieces. Place all the vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan.
- Add the chicken broth and scatter the remaining thyme over. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the pan.
- Cook for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil. Allow the chicken to rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. If desired, return the vegetables to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes while the chicken rests.
– Recipe adapted from Ina Garten’s Perfect Roast Chicken
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Wish something like this was waiting for me tonight! Looks delicious!
Thanks, Shelby. It is a delicious and very easy recipe.
I guess I am one of “those people”. I am posting Christmas cookies but that does not mean I am not cooking regular week night dinners. Your chicken looks and sounds good.
Hi Rocquie – I didn’t mean any disrespect to everyone posting their fabulous holiday recipes! Quite the opposite, in fact. And your Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Shortbread is one of the best I’ve seen lately. Keep them coming!
I was trying to say that I’m feeling a little out of step with the season by posting such an ordinary, everyday recipe :-)
nothing better to me than a good ol’ roasted hen – take it any day over anything fancy – yep, the butter makes all the difference, and your bird sure do look mouthwatering….
Why thank you, sir! Easy, simple, quick recipe. And pretty good eatin’ too.
Gotta love a good roast chicken and the aroma is wonderful!
I almost hate to admit this, but the best roast chicken I’ve ever experienced (including the hundred variations I’ve cooked at home), came from Costco recently. My hubby brought one home while out “stocking up,” and at first I was insulted. But after the first bite—I was impressed & grateful he was trying to save me some time: it was flavorful, juicy, tender & HUGE. The size alone was something that’s hard for me to find in the regular grocery.
I agree that the rotisserie chickens are really delicious. I often purchase one of the lemon and pepper ones at Publix. But I do like doing them at home, too. It’s very economical and easy!
I’ve still never roasted my own chicken!!
I love, love, love roast chicken. This really looks wonderful!
Without a doubt, my favorite meal.
I looooove roast chicken. I was going to have perogies for dinner but now all I want is roast chicken :(
you know Lana, you are so on target with making something very simple, yet very satisfying this time of year; visions of sugarplums dance in my head and they’re all quite wonderful, but don’t really ‘fill’ me, if you know what I mean. Absolutely perfect!
Thanks, Debra. I almost always find myself craving simple, satisfying recipes during the holidays. I think it’s a reaction to all the rich, sweet, indulgent foods that are at hand during this time.
Wow, this is an absolutely beautiful roast chicken! Now that I’ve made roast chicken once, I want my apartment to smell like it all the time :)
Doesn’t it just make the whole house smell wonderful? The anticipation is almost as good as the eating :-)
I havent seen little potatoes like that since I moved from upstate ny to florida, my mouth is watering for those little perfectly roasted potatoes, oh the memories of my mom making this dish just over whelmed me, thank you for that flash back in time, I must get those potatoes somewhere love the chicken! :)
I just love those tiny little potatoes! They’re so small I don’t even bother to cut them. One potato is a perfect bite size. Hope you find some soon!
What a wonderful recipe and a great reminder even to “mature” (ahem!) cooks like me about the best way to cook chicken. Why fuss with three or four separate pans — chicken parts, veg, and rice/potato — when one can have your much more delicious meal with less cook’s effort? Love the classic lemon/thyme flavors you’ve used here.
I’m all for delicious results with less effort, especially during this time of year! Thanks for stopping by, Barbara.
I am glad I read through all the comments before typing….I am not the only one who has never roasted a (whole) chicken! Your pictures are gorgeous and make it very tempting to get my first chicky roasted….and soon!
You should try it, Chris. It’s the easiest thing…really!
I love roasted chicken. Have you ever tried to brine it before? Try it out makes a huge difference. .
I haven’t brined a chicken, but I’m sure it would be delicious! I’ll try it next time.