I just flipped my calendar page again. It’s the first day of October already! I do not know where this year has gone. Can you relate? Since this year is flying by, go ahead and leap into Fall with this classic Roast Chicken and Vegetables.
Moist and succulent, this chicken is enhanced with the flavors of a savory herb butter and vegetables to provide a complete meal in one pan. A whole roast chicken is one the easiest weekend meals to prepare; it’s pretty hands-off, requires minimal cleanup, and usually yields plenty of leftovers for the week to come. A perfect Sunday supper!
Here’s how I made it:
Roast Chicken and Vegetables | Servings: 6 | Time:1 Hour 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 whole chicken (3 ½ to 4 pounds), rinsed and patted dry
- Herb Butter, recipe to follow
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- 3-4 medium carrots, cut into 3-inch lengths
- 3-4 small russet potatoes, quartered
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 1 red onion, quartered
- 4-ounces whole button or baby bella mushrooms
Herb Butter:
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, minced
- 5 basil leaves, finely chopped
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- zest of one Lemon
Directions:
Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400 degrees F.
Prepare the Herb Butter: Mince garlic and chop fresh herbs and add dried spices into a bowl with softened butter. Use a fork to work the herbs and spices into the butter.
Place the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board. Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Use your hands to gently loosen the skin covering the breast, thighs and the top end of the drumsticks. Smear the Herb Butter under the skin, covering as much of the meat as possible.
Place the chicken breast-side up in a large roasting pan (not on a rack). Truss up the legs of the chicken with some butcher twine and tuck wings to ensure even cooking. Scatter the vegetables around the chicken. Bake, stirring the vegetables occasionally, for one to one and a half hours, or until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear when pierced between the breast and leg or a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh without touching bone registers 165 degrees F.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Transfer the vegetables from the roasting pan to a serving dish with a slotted spoon, leaving behind as much of the fat as possible.
Serve the chicken with the vegetables.
You know I’m a beef girl. I can’t help it, I love a big fat juicy ribeye on a Saturday night, but I honestly have to say that pot roast is better with chicken. This is pure comfort food right here folks!
Roast Chicken and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (3 ½ to 4 pounds), rinsed and patted dry
- Herb Butter recipe to follow
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 3-4 medium carrots cut into 3-inch lengths
- 3-4 small russet potatoes quartered
- 1 yellow onion quartered
- 1 red onion quartered
- 4 ounces whole button or baby bella mushrooms
Herb Butter
- 1 stick unsalted butter (½ cup) room temperature
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary minced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme minced
- 5 basil leaves finely chopped
- 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Zest of one Lemon
Instructions
Directions
- Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400 degrees F.
Prepare the Herb Butter
- Mince garlic and chop fresh herbs and add dried spices into a bowl with softened butter. Use a fork to work the herbs and spices into the butter.
- Place the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board. Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Use your hands to gently loosen the skin covering the breast, thighs and the top end of the drumsticks. Smear the Herb Butter under the skin, covering as much of the meat as possible.
- Place the chicken breast-side up in a large roasting pan (not on a rack). Truss up the legs of the chicken with some butcher twine and tuck wings to ensure even cooking. Scatter the vegetables around the chicken. Bake, stirring the vegetables occasionally, for one to one and a half hours, or until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear when pierced between the breast and leg or a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh without touching bone registers 165 degrees F.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
- Transfer the vegetables from the roasting pan to a serving dish with a slotted spoon, leaving behind as much of the fat as possible.
- Serve the chicken with the vegetables.
Cheryl "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser says
Go Girl nothing wrong with roasted whole chickens. Except In Florida they’re ridiculous in price I can get Seafood more reasonable-I don’t know why? I still buy Whole Perdue’s and roast them! Do you find something stupid about paying $8 bucks for one chicken???In my family I need a minimum of two. Have a good October 1st-birthday girl on Halloween! Yes, its number 29 y.o. right? LOL
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks my dear. Yes, 29!!!! I’ll take the seafood over chicken most any day!!
Anna Buckley says
Woke up to find that it’s cooled off this morning…most definitely roast chicken weather Debbie. Think I might just have to try your recipe.
PS What do you recommend we stock up with for the next few days…Joachin is coming over!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Bread, Milk, Toilet Paper, and ALCOHOL!!! 😉 Y’all be safe! Norfolk floods terribly!
Rachel says
Mmmmm this just looks warm. Like mama’s cooking. Except my mama can’t cook for crap, but that’s ok! Love it.
The Mountain Kitchen says
LMAO! Well, at least you’re honest about it… 😉
Dana @ IveGotCake says
Whole roast chicken = some of the best dinners I’ve had.
The leftovers are so freakin versatile too.
Damn – now I wanna go roast a chicken..
The Mountain Kitchen says
Go for it, woman! 😀
Annie @ Give Me Meatloaf says
Great photos Debbie (as usual)! Never made chicken with basil for some ridiculous reason – I know you’ve got plenty! I’ll have to try it soon, perfect for the fall weather. 🙂 Happy almost Friday!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks! David and I call Thursday “Friday Eve”…lol! I can officially wish you a Happy Friday! Hope you and your Dave have a great weekend!