Description

A foolproof, crowd-pleasing roast chicken recipe featuring crispy skin, herb-infused butter, and caramelized root vegetables. This hands-off dinner is perfect for impressing guests or enjoying comforting leftovers.

Ingredients

Scale

1 whole chicken (4–5 pounds / 1.8–2.3 kg), fresh preferred
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3–4 large sprigs fresh rosemary
1 whole head garlic
1 large lemon
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1.5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
1 pound carrots, cut into thick sticks
1 large red onion, quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Remove chicken from fridge and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Pat chicken completely dry inside and out with paper towels.
In a small bowl, mix softened butter with juice of half the lemon, chopped rosemary leaves (from 2 sprigs), minced garlic (from 2 cloves), salt, and pepper.
Gently loosen skin over breast and thighs. Rub half the butter mixture under the skin onto the meat. Rub the remaining butter over the entire outside of the chicken.
In a large bowl, toss potatoes, carrots, and red onion with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Spread vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan or cast iron skillet.
Place chicken on a rack over the vegetables (or directly on top if using a sheet pan). Stuff cavity with remaining rosemary sprigs, squeezed lemon half, and the whole head of garlic (top sliced off).
Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes. At the 45-minute mark, baste chicken with pan juices.
Check doneness by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, avoiding bone. Internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C). If skin is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil.
Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. This allows juices to redistribute.
Carve chicken and serve with roasted vegetables, spooning extra pan juices over the top.

Notes

For extra crispy skin, pat chicken dry and leave uncovered in the fridge for a few hours or overnight before roasting. Do not crowd the pan with vegetables to ensure they roast rather than steam. Save pan drippings to make a quick gravy by deglazing with chicken broth.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8 of the chicken p
Calories: 450
Sugar: 4
Sodium: 600
Fat: 28
Saturated Fat: 12
Carbohydrates: 15
Fiber: 3
Protein: 35

Keywords: roasted chicken, rosemary chicken, root vegetables, holiday dinner, easy roast chicken, crispy skin chicken, family dinner