Oven Roasted Whole Chicken and Potatoes

A perfect oven roasted whole chicken and potatoes is one of the best dinners you could have. Crisp, golden and juicy chicken with potatoes and onions cooked alongside soaking in the flavors of the chicken.

There's something about a oven roasted whole chicken with potatoes that says simplicity and special occasion at the same time. With minimum effort, you can have a gloriously crisp skinned, juicy bird to serve to your family for dinner.

To make the roast chicken extra special, I place flavored butter under the skin. As the chicken bakes, the aromatic butter with garlic, lemon and herbs soaks into the meat and flavors the bird all the way through. If you want to make a roast chicken with gravy, I have another amazing recipe for that too.

If you know me, you know I'll add potatoes to just about any meal that I can sneak them into. In this case, it makes perfect sense, since you'll have the whole meal prepared at the same time on the same baking sheet. Plus, the chicken juices and brown bits on the baking sheet are incredibly delicious, so the potatoes soak all that goodness up.

Ingredients:

• whole chicken
• onions
  • not only are the onions part of the flavor team here, they also help to elevate the chicken slightly from the baking sheet, and ensure that it's not baking in a puddle of chicken juices, but gets heat all the way around the chicken.
• thyme, lemon, garlic (to fill the cavity of the chicken and add more flavor to the chicken as it roasts)
• salt, ground black pepper
• oil

Garlic Herb Flavored Butter

The flavored butter is totally optional. Half the time I make roast chicken without it, but when I want to make it a little more special, I like to add the flavored butter. It adds so much aromatic flavor and juiciness to the chicken, especially to the breast, which can sometimes be dry and bland. I absolutely love the flavor combinations.

• butter
  • I use unsalted butter, so I can control how much salt to add. The butter needs to be soft enough to be malleable, but not too soft where it's almost melted.
• oil, for sauteing the veggies
• garlic
• shallot (you can also use onions, but shallots have a milder flavor and I just love them)
• lemon zest (this really is the secret ingredient - it gives so much lemon flavor)
• fresh parsley & thyme - the fresh herbs are incredible.
• salt, ground black pepper

Potatoes:

• potatoes
  •  yukon gold, red, or young potatoes are the best for roasting, cut into 1 - 1 ½ inch pieces. Russets or white potatoes don't work as well, because they tend to fall apart.
• shallots or red or yellow onion
• garlic cloves
• olive oil
• fresh parsley & thyme
• salt, ground black pepper
• dry herbs and spices, such as onion powder, garlic powder, dry thyme, parsley, rosemary, etc.

How To Make Oven Roasted Whole Chicken and Potatoes

1. Prepare the Chicken
   • Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper all over and inside the cavity.
   • Stuff the cavity of the chicken with one cut up onion, garlic cloves, a cut up lemon and thyme sprigs. (I use up the lemon that I zest for the flavored butter.)
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Make the Garlic-Herb Butter.
   • In a cold skillet, combine the oil, garlic and shallots. Cook on medium low heat until the shallots and garlic are lightly golden. Combine the softened butter with the browned shallots and garlic, the lemon zest, parsley, thyme and season with salt and pepper.
4. Gently spread the flavored butter under the skin, all over the breast meat and as much as you can get on the thigh meat. I usually use my hands, but you can also use a spoon.
5. Tie the legs of the chicken together and also tuck the wings behind the back of the bird. This keeps the bird in a neat, compact shape, so that it cooks evenly. Brush the chicken on all sides with some oil.
6. Slice 1 large onion into thick circles and place them in the center of a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle some salt over the onions. The onions will bake in the chicken juices and become golden and delicious. They are SO good. Place the chicken on top of the onions.
7. Roast the chicken for about 25 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, prep the potatoes.
   • Wash the potatoes and cut them into 1 inch pieces, leaving the skin on.
   • Place the potatoes into a medium pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and cook for another 3-5 minutes or so.
   • Drain the potatoes and toss them with the shallots, also cut into 1 inch pieces, garlic, herbs, oil and salt and pepper.
9. Add the potatoes to the hot baking sheet and spread them around the chicken. If there are any excess chicken juices on the baking sheet, drain it off before adding the potatoes.
10. Continue roasting for another 40-50 minutes or so, depending on your oven and the size of your chicken.
    • You can mix the potatoes about halfway through, to coat them in the chicken drippings and get them to brown more evenly.
    • Sometimes the breast area skin can start to get brown too quickly. Cover it up lightly with some aluminum foil, to prevent it from getting too brown. 
    • Roast the chicken until the breast meat register 165 on an instant read thermometer and the thigh meat registers 175 degrees.

I like to put the seasoned chicken, uncovered, into the refrigerator overnight.

This will dry out the skin even more and result in a crispier skin. Also, the salt will have time to penetrate into the center of the bird, not just on the outside.

Plus, it makes my dinner prep a breeze the next day. Make sure to let the chicken to come to room temperature for at least half an hour before putting it in the oven.

Serving the Chicken

Take out the chicken and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, if the potatoes are not as golden as you'd like, return them to the oven and broil for a few minutes on all sides to crisp them up even more.

Garnish with more fresh herbs, like parsley, thyme, dill, green onions. 

Perfect Side Dishes For Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

• Garlic Dill Cucumbers
• Broccoli Cauliflower Salad With Tomatoes and Cucumbers
• Garlic Green Beans
• Dill Pickle Spears

Helpful Tips and Frequently Asked Questions

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This is an updated version of the Oven Roasted Whole Chicken and Potatoes that was originally published on August 20, 2013. I clarified the instructions and added new photos, but the recipe is still the same.