This homemade Roast Chicken and Vegetables is the perfect dinner. There’s nothing like the aroma of a chicken roasting in the oven. You’ll love the crisp, salty skin and juicy center.
Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is to bake a whole chicken dinner in one pan.
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We love chicken recipes from Instant Pot Whole Chicken to Spatchcock Chicken. If you are a fan of chicken dinners, this Roasted Chicken is a must-try!
How to Roast Chicken Video Tutorial:
Homemade Roasted Chicken is something every cook should master and our method produces the juiciest chicken breast you’ll bite into. You’ll love how easy this is and it’s amazing how butter, salt, and pepper can create so much flavor. Roasting the chicken with vegetables makes this an easy one-pan meal.
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Why You Should Roast Your Own Chicken:
Roasting a whole chicken is easy with minimal prep since there’s no need to marinate or brine ahead and you don’t need to pre-cook your vegetables since they roast in the oven with the chicken. You don’t need any fancy equipment, just a roasting pan.
A freshly roasted chicken is no match for a store-bought one that has been sitting under a heat lamp for some time. There’s something about roasting a whole chicken that will make you feel like a great cook. The presentation and flavor will impress your family.
How to Pick a Good Chicken:
- Visual Cues: Look for chicken with pink-colored meat and avoid any chicken that has any hint of grayish coloring which indicates spoilage.
- Check the Date: Use Chicken before the use-by date on the package.
- Air chilled chicken – a method for cooling chickens that produces the best flavor.
- Organic and Free Range – another indicator of a good quality chicken.
Chicken Roasting Time Chart:
For reference, these are the chicken sizes we have experimented with. We always recommend using an instant thermometer to double-check that it reaches a safe 165˚F.
- 5 lb Chicken roast for about 75 minutes at 425˚F
- 5 1/2 lb Chicken – roast for about 80 minutes at 425˚F
- 6 lb chicken – roast for about 90 minutes at 425˚F
If your Chicken is Browning too Much: We make a small triangle-shaped foil shield to place over the chicken after the first 30 minutes of roasting. This keeps the chicken from browning too quickly and ensures a juicy chicken breast. We use this same trick to make our Juicy Roast Turkey.
How do I Check Roast Chicken for Doneness?
Internal Temperature: Use an oven-safe thermometer while the chicken roasts, or insert an instant thermometer into the deepest part of the thigh (without touching bone) and it should register at 165˚F when done.
Juices Run Clear: If you don’t have a thermometer, use a small knife to cut between the leg and thigh going all the way to the bone and you should see the juices run clear.
Common Questions:
We use a 10×15 cast iron roasting pan. You can also use a rimmed baking sheet or a large oven-safe skillet, preferably a heavy cast iron pan.
You can roast with or without a rack. A pan with a rack allows air to circulate under the chicken and helps the skin to crisp and brown all over. Add the vegetables under the rack if using.
Tying or trussing the chicken with kitchen twine is optional and will make for a nicer presentation.
A frozen whole chicken should be fully thawed (about 24 hours) in the refrigerator.
Some ovens get smoky at higher temperatures. If yours does, reduce the heat to 400˚F and cook an extra 10-20 minutes.
Using a pressure cooker is the fastest way to cook a whole chicken. Check out our instant pot chicken tutorial.
Arrange the rack in the lower third of the oven so the chicken is sitting exactly in the center.
Love a Crisp Chicken Skin? If you prefer crispy skin, let your chicken rest without tenting. Otherwise, the steam under the foil will soften the chicken skin.
Serve With:
Because this is essentially a meal in itself, we love to serve roast chicken as the main course. To complete your chicken dinner, pair it with these sides:
- Mushroom Gravy – our easiest gravy recipe or make gravy from the chicken pan drippings like we did our Turkey Gravy.
- Dinner Rolls – complete the meal with fluffy rolls
- Caesar Salad – a fresh green salad with homemade dressing
Make-Ahead Tips:
- Prepping the Chicken: You can stuff, butter and season your chicken a day ahead then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to roast.
- Prepping the Vegetables: Since potatoes can discolor once they are peeled, it is best to cut and season the veggies just before roasting.
More Chicken Recipes to Try:
If you love this Roasted Chicken, then you won’t want to miss these reader-favorite chicken recipes.
- Chicken Parmesan – we will never stop loving this classic
- Chicken Marsala – a homemade restaurant favorite
- General Tso’s Chicken – even better than takeout
- Chicken Piccata – easy, one-pan chicken recipe
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings – super crispy
- Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo – my Mom’s recipe
Juicy Roast Chicken and Vegetables
Ingredients
For the Roasted Vegetables:
- 6 Yukon gold potatoes , peeled and quartered (or 8 red potatoes)
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
- 1 medium onion, chopped into 1” pieces
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half parallel to the base, divided
- 4 sprigs rosemary, divided
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Place chopped potatoes, carrots, onion, half of a head of garlic, and 2 sprigs of rosemary in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
- Place chicken in a roasting pan. Remove giblets from chicken and pat dry inside and outside with paper towels. Season inside the chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stuff the chicken with 1/2 of the garlic head, 2 lemon halves, and 2 sprigs of rosemary.
- Melt 2 Tbsp of butter. Brush the chicken all over the top and sides with melted butter then season all over with 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Tie the legs together and tuck the wings under the bird. Spread veggies around the chicken. Roast in the oven uncovered at 425˚F for 80 to 90 minutes (depending on size of chicken*) until internal temperature of the thigh reaches 165˚F or until the juices run clear when you cut into the thigh.
- Transfer chicken and veggies to a platter, tent with foil, and let rest at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Your recipe is totally fine but I have a few tips to add. I always put the chicken and vegetables on a v-shaped rack to keep the bottom from getting soggy. Also, I roast it upside down for the first half of the cooking time and then turn it right side up for the rest. Lastly, when placing the pan in the oven, put the legs toward the back wall, where the heat is highest, keeping the breast meat from drying out.
Loved everything about this! The veggies were delicious and the chicken was juicy and delicious too!!
Thank you for the feedback. I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe.
Wonderful recipe! I didn’t change a thing. My family loved it!
I have made this recipe so many times now. I love cooking 2 chickens at a time. Costco sells organic whole chickens in 2 packs. I use the extra meat to make Natasha’s chicken pot pie and chicken soup. Love it because we can eat off of 2 chickens for a few days but have something different each time! Natasha’s kitchen is always my go to for simple, delicious recipes.
Delicious! I didn’t change a thing. I thought it would need more seasoning but, it was perfect as written. Will definitely make this on a regular basis.
I’m so happy it was perfect for you! Thank you for your wonderful review, Mary!
Will make this recipe toda, but not with whole chicken, but bone in chicken pieces.
Will do less time, of course.
It’s ok but way too bland for our taste. I will cook it again but modify it, there should be two onions in the recipe and perhaps other vegetables as well, not just carrot and potato. The seasoning on the chicken needs some pep, perhaps some mild paprika or herb de province? Something is missing, but it’s a good recipe to build on.
I made this today, and I totally disagree. I always add more seasoning and salt whenever I follow a recipe. It was flavorful and juicy. The poor chicken was stripped naked in minutes. My family loved it.