Name: Easy Roast Chicken with Vegetables
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds (1.6 to 2 kg); 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the vegetables; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 5 cups mixed vegetables cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips, fennel or butternut squash; 1 red onion, cut into wedges; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 lemon, halved; 4 sprigs thyme or 2 sprigs rosemary; 3 tablespoons butter, softened (optional)

Recipe

Easy Roast Chicken with Vegetables

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1 hr 15 min
Total: 1 hr 50 min
Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 Servings

1 whole chicken, 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds (1.6 to 2 kg)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the vegetables
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5 cups mixed vegetables cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips, fennel or butternut squash
1 red onion, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, halved
4 sprigs thyme or 2 sprigs rosemary
3 tablespoons butter, softened (optional)

Method

Step 1: Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the centre.
Step 2: Toss the vegetables and onion wedges with the olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper in a roasting pan or large ovenproof skillet. Spread them out to make a bed slightly larger than the chicken.
Step 3: Remove any giblets and pat the chicken very dry inside and out. Season the cavity with salt, then stuff it with the lemon halves and herbs.
Step 4: If using butter, slide your fingers under the breast skin to loosen it and spread the butter over the meat. Rub the outside with the salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string if you have it and set the chicken on the vegetables, breast side up.
Step 5: Roast for 60 to 80 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C). The juices should run clear when you pierce the thigh.
Tip: Start checking 10 minutes early. If the skin browns too fast, lay a loose piece of foil over the breast.
Step 6: Spoon the pan juices over the chicken and let it rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Squeeze the roasted lemon over the vegetables, then carve and serve together.

Tips

For the crispest skin, salt the chicken and leave it uncovered on a plate in the fridge overnight.
If the vegetables aren't browned when the chicken comes out, put them back in the oven while the bird rests.

Variations

Garlic and herb: mix 2 crushed garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon chopped herbs into the butter before spreading it under the skin.
Smoky: rub the skin with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika mixed with the salt.

Storage and make-ahead

Leftover chicken keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Pull the meat off the bones for sandwiches, salads or soup, and use the carcass to make stock. Cooked chicken meat freezes for up to 3 months.