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Roast Chicken and Vegetables

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An over the top shot of a roasted whole chicken on a platter with vegetables, fresh herbs, and lemon wedges.

Juicy whole roasted chicken with crispy skin cooked in one pan with tender, flavorful vegetables. This classic Roast Chicken and Vegetables is an exceptionally comforting meal.

An over the top shot of a roasted whole chicken on a platter with vegetables, fresh herbs, and lemon wedges.

I’m not sure if there is anything more comforting than a whole roasted chicken with tender root vegetables tossed with flavorful pan juices. When you’re feeling the need for a little nurturing, this cozy, wholesome meal will do the trick.

This is the recipe you need on a lazy weekend when it’s cold outside. I can’t get through the winter months without including an oven roasted whole chicken on the menu at least a couple of times.

A crispy roast chicken on a platter with carrots and potatoes.

Juicy Roast Chicken with Crispy Skin

To create a whole roasted chicken with beautifully browned, crispy skin, this recipe uses a high heat method for the entire cooking time. The seasoned rub contains a mixture of both butter and oil that works with the high heat to crisp and brown the skin as it roasts, while the interior reaches fork tender perfection.

Ingredients for Crispy Roast Chicken and Vegetables

A whole chicken, seasoning, lemon wedges, onion, and oil on a wood surface with text.
  • Whole chicken – Look for a 4- to 5-pound whole chicken. This size should fit comfortably in a baking dish or roasting pan that is at least 13- x 9-inches.
  • Aromatics – For flavorful pan juices, the chicken is stuffed with yellow onion, carrots, and lemon.
  • Butter rub – The seasoned butter rub consists of softened butter, olive oil, paprika, kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, freshly ground black pepper.
Baby potatoes, carrots, onion, oil, and seasoning on a wood surface with overlay text.

The Best Vegetables for Roast Chicken

  • Baby potatoes – Halved. If using larger potatoes, cut them into 2-inch chunks.
  • Carrots – Peeled and sliced into 1 ½- to 2-inch chunks
  • Yellow onion – Quartered. The chunks of onion will naturally come apart into smaller pieces after roasting.
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Granulated garlic or garlic powder
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A variety of other vegetables can be roasted with a whole chicken. Parsnips, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, bell peppers, and whole garlic cloves are just some of the delicious choices. Instead of baby potatoes, give fingerling potatoes a try. Shallots or pearl onions can be used in place of the yellow onion.

A whole roasted chicken on a platter with vegetables, fresh herbs, and lemon wedges.

How to Make Whole Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

A butter and oil seasoning is rubbed on a whole chicken and the chicken wrapped in foil.

Season and Marinate the Chicken

  1. Make the butter rub – Combine the butter, olive oil, and seasonings for the rub in a small bowl.
  2. Season the chicken – Place the chicken on a sheet of heavy duty foil that is large enough to enclose the chicken. Gently lift the skin on either side of breast and smear a small amount of the rub over each breast.
  3. Add aromatics – Tuck chunks of onion and lemon inside the cavity.
  4. Marinate the chicken – Lift up the edges of the foil to completely enclose the chicken. Transfer the foil-wrapped chicken to a baking sheet and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 to 6 hours.

Marinating the chicken overnight is optional but will ensure a juicy, flavorful result. The salt in the butter rub helps to break down the proteins in the chicken, similar to brining. If you are short on time, you can roast the chicken immediately after seasoning.

A seasoned chicken in a baking dish with vegetables.

Roast the Chicken and Vegetables

  1. Prepare the veggies – Drizzle olive oil over the veggies and season with granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Place the marinated chicken in a baking dish and tuck the wings and tie the legs with kitchen twine, if desired.
  2. Roast – Scatter the veggies around the chicken and transfer the baking dish to the center oven rack. Roast for 1 ½ hours or until the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 165 degrees F or higher and the juices run clear. If the chicken seems to be browning too much, you can tent it lightly with a sheet of foil after the first hour, if needed.

To tuck the wings, slightly lift the chicken and take hold of one of the wings. Pull the wing back towards the neck and then tuck it underneath the body.

A roasted chicken in a baking dish with vegetables and a spoon removing the vegetables.
  1. Let it rest – Remove the baking dish from the oven and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Tent lightly with a sheet of foil and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
  2. Finish the veggies – Toss the vegetables with the pan drippings and use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a serving dish. Squeeze the juice from the remaining half of a lemon over the roasted veggies. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Carving Roasted Chicken

A knife slices into the breast meat of a whole roasted chicken.

Carving a whole chicken is easier than carving a turkey, but the steps are basically the same. Check out my Herb Roasted Turkey recipe for detailed carving instructions. For more great visual tips on how to carve a chicken, check out Taste of Home.

A crispy roast chicken with part of the breast meat sliced.

FAQ and Valerie’s Tips

Should I wash the chicken before cooking?

Rinsing your chicken in your kitchen sink increases the risk of contamination. Instead, just place the chicken on a cutting board or large sheet of foil and blot it dry with paper towels before seasoning.

Is it safe to roast vegetables with raw chicken?

Absolutely. Use an instant read meat thermometer and roast the chicken until it reaches a safe internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F. before removing the chicken and vegetables from the oven.

Do you cover a chicken when roasting?

To achieve the best browned, crispy skin, I recommend roasting chicken uncovered. If you find it’s browning more than you’d like, lightly tent the chicken with a sheet of foil towards the end of the baking time.

How long do you roast a chicken?

The total roasting time for a while chicken depends on the weight of the chicken and the oven temperature. For this recipe, it will take 15 to 18 minutes per pound or about 1 ½ hours for a 5 pound chicken at 425 degrees F.

Pieces of chicken on a serving platter with vegetables.

Storing Leftover Cooked Chicken

Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours. If stored properly, cooked chicken will last for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, cooked chicken should be frozen and used within 2 to 3 months for the best quality.

Slices of roasted chicken on a plate with carrots, potatoes, and onions.

More Comforting Chicken Recipes

An over the top shot of a roasted whole chicken on a platter with vegetables, fresh herbs, and lemon wedges.
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Roast Chicken and Vegetables

Juicy whole roasted chicken with crispy skin cooked in one pan with tender, flavorful vegetables. This classic Roast Chicken and Vegetables is an exceptionally comforting meal.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 467kcal

Ingredients

For the Rub

  • 1 tablespoon butter softened
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Whole Roasted Chicken

  • 4 to 5 pound whole chicken
  • 1 small yellow onion quartered
  • 1 lemon quartered, divided
  • fresh herbs for garnish (like parsley or thyme), optional

For the Vegetables

  • 1 pound baby potatoes halved, (if using larger potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks)
  • 3 medium carrots peeled and sliced into 1 ½- to 2-inch chunks
  • 1 yellow onion quartered
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Prep the Chicken

  • Combine the butter, olive oil, and seasonings for the rub in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Remove the chicken from the packaging and remove and discard giblets, if needed. Drain any liquid from the cavity and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place on a large sheet of heavy duty foil (sheet should be large enough to enclose the chicken).
  • Gently lift the skin on either side of breast and smear a small amount of the rub over each breast. Spread the remainder of the rub over all sides of the chicken. Tuck the chunks of onion and 2 quarters of the lemon (refrigerate remaining lemon for later) inside the cavity. Lift up the edges of the foil and enclose the chicken. Use a second sheet of foil if necessary to be sure it is completely enclosed. Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 to 6 hours (see Notes below).
  • When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it rest on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes to take the chill off.
  • Remove and discard the foil and place the chicken in a roasting pan or large baking dish (13- x 9-inch or slightly larger). Tuck the wings back and under the chicken and tie the legs with kitchen twine, if desired.

For the Vegetables

  • Place the potatoes, carrots, and onion in a medium mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and season with granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Toss with a spoon and then scatter the veggies around the chicken in the roasting pan.
  • Meanwhile preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Roast the Chicken and Vegetables

  • Transfer the roasting pan to the center oven rack and roast for 1 ½ hours or until the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 165 degrees F or higher and the juices run clear. If the chicken seems to be browning too much, you can tent it lightly with a sheet of foil after the first hour, if needed.
  • Remove from the oven and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Tent lightly with a sheet of foil and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Finish the Vegetables, Carve, and Serve

  • Toss the vegetables with the pan drippings and use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a serving dish. Squeeze the juice from the remaining half of a lemon over the roasted veggies. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
  • Remove and discard the aromatics from the cavity of the chicken and carve. Garnish the chicken and veggies with fresh herbs, if desired. Serve.

Notes

Total time does not include optional marinating time. If you are short on time, the roast the chicken and veggies can be roasted immediately after seasoning.
Alternate Veggies for Roast Chicken
A variety of other vegetables can be roasted with a whole chicken. Parsnips, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, bell peppers, and whole garlic cloves are just some of the delicious choices. Instead of baby potatoes, give fingerling potatoes a try. Shallots or pearl onions can be used in place of the yellow onion.

Nutrition

Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 535mg | Potassium: 800mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5699IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3mg

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