One-Pan Roast Chicken With Carrots and Potatoes
Recipe type: Chicken
Yield: Serve 4
Ingredients
- 1 (3-5 pound) whole chicken
- Kosher salt
- 1 bunch carrots (about 1 pound), scrubbed clean or peeled, cut into 2-3-inch lengths
- 1 pound small yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed clean and halved
- 1 large (about 1 pound) onion, cut into 8 wedges
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half
- A few sprigs each of rosemary and thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken's cavity. Reserve for another use (like chicken stock) or discard. Trim away excess skin and fat at the neck with kitchen shears. Remove any remaining feathers from the chicken with tweezers; pat it dry inside and out with paper towels. Using your fingertips, gently loosen the skin from the breasts and thighs and salt the meat under the skin. Generously salt the outside and the cavity of the chicken as well. Let the salt penetrate the meat at room temperature for about an hour before continuing with the recipe.
- Add the carrots, potatoes, onion, and lemon to a large (4-quart) casserole dish. Season with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and a generous amount of black pepper, stirring to evenly coat. Brush the chicken with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and arrange breast-side-down on top of the vegetables. Stuff the chicken's cavity with the garlic and sprigs of rosemary and thyme.
- Roast for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Flip, and roast breast-side-up for another 30-50 minutes or so, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. (If you have a small chicken, start with the shorter cook times; large birds will need longer.)
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and rest for 15 minutes before carving. If the vegetables aren't as tender as you'd like, roast them a bit longer as the chicken rests. If they're cooked to your liking, wait until you start carving the chicken before adding the pan back to the oven (this will ensure that the vegetables are hot, but aren't cooked much more).
- Remove the garlic and herb sprigs from the cavity; discard the herb sprigs. Carve the chicken.
- Arrange the vegetables, chicken, and garlic on a platter and garnish with additional fresh herb sprigs.
Notes
2 small yellow onions can be subbed for 1 large; peel and cut smaller onions into quarters. Same goes for potatoes: if your potatoes are larger, quarter, or cut them into medium chunks.
If you have time, I highly recommend salting the chicken ahead of time (anywhere from 1-3 days), refrigerating it uncovered during this period. I like to do this on a quarter-sheet pan with a wire or silicone rack set under the chicken for better air circulation. This technique, inspired by Judy Rogers' Zuni Café Cookbook is a dry brine, and will set you up for a super-flavorful, succulent chicken with crisp skin (storing it uncovered helps reduce moisture which allows for better browning).
If you have time, I highly recommend salting the chicken ahead of time (anywhere from 1-3 days), refrigerating it uncovered during this period. I like to do this on a quarter-sheet pan with a wire or silicone rack set under the chicken for better air circulation. This technique, inspired by Judy Rogers' Zuni Café Cookbook is a dry brine, and will set you up for a super-flavorful, succulent chicken with crisp skin (storing it uncovered helps reduce moisture which allows for better browning).
Recipe by A Modest Feast at http://www.amodestfeast.com/2016/04/25/one-pan-roast-chicken-carrots-potatoes/