Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
There’s nothing that tastes better, or is more affordable, than a whole Roasted Chicken and Vegetables. It is so easy to prepare and comes out of the oven golden brown and juicy. We have it for dinner and then use the leftovers to make a variety of chicken dishes to eat throughout the rest of the week. This recipe makes the best roast chicken!
When buying chicken in the grocery store, it is noticeably more expensive to purchase chicken pieces that have been previously cut and packaged, compared to purchasing a whole chicken for roasting. A whole chicken will not only be more affordable, but will also allow you to season and bake it as you desire, often making it healthier and more nutritious.
It truly is an easy process. After washing and patting the chicken dry, rub it with softened butter and season it with salt, black pepper, dried thyme, garlic and lemon slices. Bake it in the oven for up to 2 hours, depending on the weight of the bird. You’ll have the best roast chicken and plenty of leftovers to use in other recipes.
What equipment do I need to make roasted chicken?
- BAKING DISH– Use a 13×9-inch baking dish or metal pan for roasting a whole chicken. A sheet pan is not recommended due to the lack of a lip around the edge of the pan. The chicken will give off juices as it cooks, so be sure to use a baking dish that is at least two inches deep or more. Allow for a few inches around the bird as well, especially when roasting with vegetables.
- STRING– Use an 8 to 10-inch piece of string or yarn to tie the legs of the chicken together before baking. This keeps the onion slices and lemon wedges in the cavity of the bird and allows the chicken to steam on the inside.
- MEAT THERMOMETER– For best results, use a thermometer to gauge the temperature of the meat as it bakes. Typically, a whole chicken will be baked through in about 1 1/2 hours or until a thermometer reaches 175 degrees fahrenheit. We use a MEATER PLUS, a wireless meat thermometer.
It comes with a rechargeable probe that is inserted into the thickest part of the chicken and monitors the meat with an app that is easily downloaded on your phone. The display in the app indicates ambient temperature of your oven, temperature of the meat, and gives an estimated amount of cook time remaining. It is a great tool for roasting and grilling, allowing you to easily and accurately check the temperature of roasted chicken, prime rib, meatloaf, roasted turkey, burgers and grilled fish.
Roasted Chicken and Vegetables Recipe
What’s needed?
- WHOLE CHICKEN– One 6 pound chicken that has been washed and patted dry is used for this recipe. If you are a using a chicken that weighs more or less, you will need to adjust the baking time accordingly.
- GARLIC– Use 6 cloves of garlic for this recipe, 4 for the inside of the bird and 2 for baking with the vegetables.
- LEMON– Quarter a lemon and place 3 quarters inside the chicken for baking. Squeeze the last quarter over the vegetables after baking, before serving.
- ONION– One large onion is cut into thin wedges and half are placed inside the chicken and half will be baked with the vegetables.
- VEGETABLES– Potatoes and carrots are cut into chunks and placed around the chicken in the baking dish. Make them at least 2-inches in size, so they don’t get too soft and fall apart when baking.
- THYME– When roasting poultry, thyme is your best friend. It is aromatic and makes chicken and turkey taste their best. Dried thyme in this recipe goes inside the bird and on the skin before baking. If you have an herb garden, use fresh thyme. Italian Seasoning can also be used in place of thyme.
- BUTTER– Room temperature butter is rubbed on the bird and makes it golden brown while baking and so very flavorful.
How to make Roasted Chicken and Vegetables?
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Use a larger baking pan if the chicken is over 6 pounds. Cut the potatoes, carrots, and onions into large chunks, at least two inches in size. Cut the lemon into quarters.
- If frozen, allow the chicken to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the chicken from the packaging. (Remove the paper packet with organs from the chest cavity. Discard it or use it for making chicken stock.) Wash the chicken and pat it dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken, breast side up, in the center of the baking dish. Add half of the onion wedges, 3 lemon quarters, and 4 cloves of garlic to the inside cavity of the bird, along with 1 teaspoon each of salt, black pepper and dried thyme. Tie chicken legs together with string to secure.
Season the chicken well:
- Rub the outside of the chicken with soft butter, making sure it is coated well. Place the potatoes, carrots and remaining onions and garlic cloves in the bottom of the baking dish around the chicken. Season chicken and vegetables generously with salt, black pepper and dried thyme.
- If using a meat thermometer, insert the probe just below the breast at the thickest part of the meat. Make sure the probe has been charged and is connected to the app on your phone.
- Bake the chicken at 425 degrees for one hour. After an hour, reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 45-50 minutes. Tent the chicken with aluminum foil if the skin gets too dark. Check the temperature of the meat periodically until done, remove from the oven when the internal temperature of the bird reads 170 degrees. The chicken will continue to cook once removed from the oven. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
- Cut chicken into pieces, squeeze 1 quarter of a lemon over the vegetables, and serve. Recipe makes 8 servings. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
How can I use leftover roasted chicken?
- Buffalo Chicken Crunch Wraps
- Italian Sausage and Chicken Soup with Spinach
- Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Casserole
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
There are endless possibilities when looking for recipes for leftover roasted chicken. I decided to make one of our lunchtime favorites– chicken salad! I added sour cream, ranch dressing, chopped celery, salt and black pepper to 2 cups of chopped chicken to make a creamy, delicious chicken salad. We ate it tucked inside of pita bread. So yummy!
Be sure to leave a comment after trying this recipe for Roasted Chicken and Vegetables. Let us know what you liked or what tips you found most helpful while roasting a chicken.
Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 6 pound chicken, washed and patted dry with a paper towel
- 1 large onion, cut into thin wedges
- 1 large lemon, cut into quarters
- 1 cup carrots, cut into two-inch pieces
- 4 medium potatoes, yellow, cut into two-inch pieces
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Use a larger baking pan if the chicken is over 6 pounds. Cut the potatoes, carrots, and onions into large chunks, at least two inches in size. Cut the lemon into quarters.
- If frozen, allow the chicken to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the chicken from the packaging. (Remove the paper packet with organs from the chest cavity. Discard it or use it for making chicken stock.) Wash the chicken and pat it dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken, breast side up, in the center of the baking dish. Add half of the onion wedges, 3 lemon quarters, and 4 cloves of garlic to the inside cavity of the bird, along with 1 teaspoon each of salt, black pepper and dried thyme. Tie chicken legs together with string to secure.
- Rub the outside of the chicken with soft butter, making sure it is coated well. Place the potatoes, carrots and remaining onions and garlic cloves in the bottom of the baking dish around the chicken. Season chicken and vegetables generously with salt, black pepper and dried thyme.
- If using a meat thermometer, insert the probe just below the breast at the thickest part of the meat. Make sure the probe has been charged and is connected to the app on your phone.
- Bake the chicken at 425 degrees for one hour. After an hour, reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 45-50 minutes. Tent the chicken with aluminum foil if the skin gets too dark. Check the temperature of the meat periodically until done, remove from the oven when the internal temperature of the bird reads 170 degrees. The chicken will continue to cook once removed from the oven. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
- Cut chicken into pieces, squeeze 1 quarter of a lemon over the vegetables, and serve. Recipe makes 8 servings. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Equipment
- 1 13×9 inch baking dish, or larger if the chicken weighs more than 4 pounds
- 1 meat thermometer
- 1 10-inch piece of string, to tie chicken legs together
Notes
It comes with a rechargeable probe that is inserted into the thickest part of the chicken and monitors the meat with an app that is easily downloaded on your phone. The display in the app indicates ambient temperature of your oven, temperature of the meat, and gives an estimated amount of cook time remaining. It is a great tool for roasting and grilling, allowing you to easily and accurately check the temperature of roasted chicken, prime rib, meatloaf, roasted turkey, burgers and grilled fish.