Roast Chicken with Vegetables

Roast chicken, with it's plump, juicy interior and crispy, golden skin is a comforting classic to serve as a rustic weeknight dinner, or as the centerpiece of a more festive meal. Rubbed with an herb-infused softened butter and stuffed with an herb bundle and lemon for wonderful aroma, my roast chicken recipe has a savory accompaniment of colorful roasted vegetables to complete the presentation!

Roast Chicken, a Rustic and Elegant Classic

There's something truly divine about a well-seasoned chicken roasting away in the oven, the savory juices slowing coming to the surface and the skin crisping to fragrant, golden-brown perfection.

The aroma of this meal being prepared is unmistakeable, enticing everyone who has the pleasure of experiencing this glorious scent to gather in the kitchen and wait for the moment when the first slice is ready to be carved and sampled.

Roast chicken is a meal fit for all seasons, and absolutely perfect for all occasions. Both rustic and elegant, it's equally pleasurable whether served straight from the roasting tray as a cozy meal mid-week, or festively carved and placed onto a platter as part of a holiday spread.

And when roasted along with some earthy and colorful vegetables, the various flavors mingle and little more is needed to perfect this meal apart from perhaps a bit of warm bread, a chilled glass of white wine, and some terrific conversation.

How to Roast a Chicken

Preparing a whole roast chicken that is tender, juicy and flavorful is as simple as putting together a small handful of aromatic ingredients, and allowing time and your hot oven to work their magic.

To create an irresistible golden-brown and crispy skin, I like to combine some softened, unsalted butter with a clove of garlic and some chopped, fresh rosemary leaves, and rub that liberally all over the outside of the chicken.

I also season with some paprika, and give a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper so that it penetrates and flavors the meat.

Adding a little bundle of fresh herbs and a couple of lemon halves directly into the cavity of the chicken creates added flavor from the inside as well as the chicken roasts.

And to make those earthy veggies served alongside extra flavorful and delicious, I roast the chicken directly atop of them, so that the savory drippings from the skin mingle with and soften them.

Here's a peek at my roast chicken recipe with vegetables: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I remove any giblets and innards from the cavity of my whole, organic chicken, then rinse and pat it dry very well.
2. The chicken is placed onto a work surface, and the skin is rubbed all over with my prepared softened butter mixture; then, I season the outside and the inside, adding my small herb bundle to the cavity along with my lemon halves.
3. Next, I very quickly and simply tuck the wings back and tie the legs together with kitchen twine, or even leave the bird as is, depending on how I prefer to present it.
4. To prep the vegetables, I season them and turn them out onto a large baking sheet lined with either foil or parchment.
5. When ready to roast the chicken, I place a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the breast horizontally, place it on top of the vegetables, and roast the chicken for roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 and a half hours, depending on the size of the chicken.
6. Finally, The roast chicken is sliced and served with the roasted vegetables alongside.

Recipe

Roast Chicken with Vegetables

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This roast chicken with vegetables is deliciously succulent on the inside, with crisp, golden skin infused with a savory herb butter!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 6

Nutrition Info: 877 calories per serving (includes roasted vegetables)

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 whole, organic chicken (4-5 pound), giblets removed, rinsed and patted dry very well
• ¼ cup softened, unsalted butter
• 1 clove garlic, pressed thorough garlic press
• 1 teaspoon chopped, fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Salt
• Cracked black pepper
• Pinch paprika
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• ¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lemon, halved
• 8 small carrots, roughly chopped into large pieces
• 2 ribs celery, chopped into large pieces
• 2 parsnips, chopped into large pieces
• 6 baby yellow potatoes (small ones)
• 1 fennel bulb (fronds removed), quartered, cored and sliced
• 1 small onion, peeled and quartered, then thickly sliced
• 1 head garlic, halved (paper left on)
• Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence

Preparation:

1. Preheat your oven to 450°, and prepare a baking dish, baking sheet, or roasting pan with a little parchment paper or foil.
2. Place the rinsed and dried chicken on a work surface. In a small bowl, add the softened butter, the pressed garlic clove, the chopped rosemary leaves and the lemon zest, and stir to combine well.
3. Spread the butter mixture all over the chicken, then season the chicken liberally with about 1 tablespoon of salt, about 1-2 teaspoons of cracked black pepper, and the pinch of paprika. Season the inside of the cavity with additional salt and pepper as well.
4. Stuff the rosemary sprigs, the parsley, and the two lemon halves inside of the cavity, and set the bird aside for a moment. (To keep the chicken together during roasting, tuck the wing tips behind the back, and very simply tie the legs together with kitchen twine.)
5. Next, add the carrots, celery, parsnips, baby potatoes, fennel and onion to a medium-size bowl, and drizzle in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil; then, sprinkle with a few good pinches of salt and pepper, plus the Herbes de Provence, and toss to coat. Spill the veggies out onto the prepared baking sheet or roasting pan, and nestle in the halved garlic head.
6. Place the chicken on top of the veggies, breast-side up, and insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the breast; then, place the chicken into the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 400°, and roast until the internal temp reaches 165° and the juices run clear (roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes).
7. Once roasted, allow the chicken to rest for about 15 minutes; then, carve and serve with the veggies on the side, and with some crusty bread, if desired.

Tips & Tidbits for my Roast Chicken with Vegetables:

• Good quality, whole chicken: I highly recommend going with an organic chicken if possible, as there is a noticeable difference in aroma and quality. I've found that the organic chickens are more flavorful, the cost being only a few dollars more, and they make for a much more delicious roast chicken.
• Unsalted butter, for the rub: Using unsalted butter allows you to control the level of salt you add to the recipe, keeping this aromatic and herby buttery rub more neutral. It is easier to add more salt to the chicken, using your fingers to sprinkle it on, rather than using salted butter and then potentially making it too salty.
• Tasty veggies to accompany: I love a combo of carrots, celery, fennel, onion, parsnips and potatoes here, but feel to use just a few of these or your preferred combination. Other root veggies such as turnips, rutabaga and golden beets are nice options as well!
• Earthy herbs: The fresh herbs I'm sticking to here are rosemary and parsley, but you could substitute thyme for the rosemary, or even use a few fresh sage or oregano leaves.
• Rely on internal temp rather than time: When roasting a chicken, I recommend that one always use a digital thermometer to rely on for doneness rather than on time. For instance, if one chicken is slightly larger than another, then it will take longer.The recommended internal temperature for chicken is 165°, and I insert the thermometer's probe into the thickest part of the breast (vertically), rather than the thigh, for an accurate reading.

Hungry for more similar recipes? Check out these Roasted Chicken Breasts, these Braised Chicken Thighs, this Balsamic Chicken, or this Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2015, and has been updated with even more love!