This juicy golden brown roast chicken is just a few minutes away from your dinner table. The buttery flavoring helps to season the perfectly tender roasted potatoes and carrots underneath the chicken as it cooks.
PREP TIME 20 minutesminutes
COOK TIME 1 hourhour
TOTAL TIME 1 hourhour20 minutesminutes
YIELD 6servings
Ingredients
6red potatoescut into large chunks
3large carrotspeeled and cut into large chunks
1onioncut into large chunks
1tbspolive oil
Salt and Pepper
14-pound whole roasting chicken
2tbspbutter
1lemon
1small bunch of fresh thyme
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a large roasting pan toss the potatoes, carrots, and onions with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Roast the veggies for 15 minutes.
While the veggies are roasting, wash the chicken and pat it dry. Place it on a dinner plate.
Use a knife to pierce several slits into the lemon. Stuff the cavity with the lemon and then the bunch of thyme.
Melt the butter in a microwave-safe container and brush it over the top of the chicken, including the legs. Sprinkle the surface with salt and pepper.
When the timer rings from the veggies, remove the pan from the oven. Toss with a large spatula to prevent burning on the bottoms.
Place the chicken on the bed of vegetables. Insert a cooking probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast.
Place the roasting pan back into the oven. Cook until the meat in the breast reaches 185°F, planning for about 18-20 minutes per pound.
The bird should be golden brown with crispy skin. Carve and serve with the vegetables.
Recipe Notes
Adjust the amount of vegetables to fit your roasting pan. If you overcrowd the bottom, the veggies will steam and not crisp up. The chopped potatoes and carrots should make one single layer in the bottom of the pan.