Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken + Seasonal Vegetables
I’m going to let you in on a little secret.
Most of the time, when I’m up in #whitskitch whipping up these tasty looking creations…
…I have no idea what I’m doing.
I’m a self-taught cook, who learns as I go, and I joke that only about 50% of the recipes I attempt actually make it up here on the blog.
The rest go in the trash — or Mr. Chow’s bowl (he’ll eat anything).
So when friends hear that I’ve never made a certain classic recipe that most chefs know like the back of their spatula, they’re usually pretty surprised.
This was the scenario recently when my pal Leah, who is predominately vegetarian, told me about her grandmother’s famous whole roasted chicken recipe.
Apparently, she’s a much better partner than I am because despite the fact that she doesn’t eat chicken, she makes it regularly for her beau.
On my end, the hubs has been begging me to make him a whole roasted chicken for years now and I’ve just never got around it to.
I’m going to chalk it up to absent-mindedness, but truthfully, I’ve been a little intimidated.
I just didn’t even know where to begin with a big, gizzard-filled bird.
Luckily, Leah came to my rescue.
She came over one chilly evening and we had a blast cooking, laughing, and photographing our impromptu one-on-one roasted chicken lesson.
You may have seen us on Snapchat (fyi you can find me at: whitneye85), joking about how absurd it was that a pescatarian was teaching a food-blogging omnivore how to roast a chicken.
Turns out, it’s actually pretty easy!
I was shocked at the simplicity of the process and excited to share the recipe with you guys.
With the holidays here, warm, large serving dishes like this one come in very handy for busy hostesses.
Try this out the next time you have many mouths to feed and want something that is easy, healthy, and makes a beautiful presentation.
- 2 Large Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes
- 6-8 Large Carrots
- 6 Celery Stalks
- 1 Onion
- 1 Whole Organic Fryer Chicken (4 lb)
- 1 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Whole Lemon, half squeezed on top, half stuffed inside
- 5 Rosemary Sprigs
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 T. Thyme
- 1 T. Oregano
- 1 T. Garlic Power
- 1 tsp. Cayenne
- 1 tsp. Pepper
- Salt to Taste
- Twine
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Dice all vegetables and place them at the bottom of a large roaster with a cup of water.
- If your chicken has not been cleaned, remove innards. Just stick your hand in there and pull everything out!
- Place chicken on a roasting rack above the vegetables.
- Cut the lemon in quarters and squeeze half over the chicken and stuff the other pieces inside the chicken along with the rosemary springs and garlic cloves.
- Use twine or string to tie the chicken legs together.
- Brush chicken with olive oil and season with spices on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for about 40-45 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until skin is crispy and browned.
- Insert a meat thermometer into a meaty part of the leg to make sure the chicken is fully cooked. It should read at least 165 F.
A couple of notes:
I didn’t include nutritional information because it varies depending on the type of chicken you buy and whether or not you eat the skin. Additionally, the veggies will vary in calorie content depending on how fatty your chicken is.
We used a Mary’s Organic Free-Range Chicken which appeared to have less fat than other chickens I’ve seen, probably due to its free-range, organic diet.
Even if you’re going to ditch the skin once it hits your plate, leave it on for roasting to help the bird stay moist.
Lastly, never wash the chicken before you prepare it. It can splash bacteria all over the sink, on you, the countertops, and nearby food, increasing the chances of contamination. If you really want to get rid of any slime, pat it down with a paper towel and safely dispose of the paper towel.
I hope you found this tutorial helpful, and even if you’re a seasoned chicken-roasting pro, that you learned some new techniques.
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Happy Holidays everyone!
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious says:
I have yet to make a chicken at home. The whole carving thing traumatizes me. Haha! This looks amazing though!
Whitney English says:
Yes, that part definitely intimidated me as well! I should have specified in the post but it looked pretty easy watching Lean – you just rip off the legs and wings and then slice from the sides, avoiding the large bone down the middle :)
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says:
The rest of my family are not vegetarians and they would be very impressed if I whipped this up. I love all the herbs.
Whitney English says:
Yes – this would be a good easy meal for you to make for them while you make something veggie for yourself :) xo
Liz says:
This looks so colorful and tasty. Ive never roasted a chicken myself either but i think i need be a big girl and try this out finally! I certainly eat chicken enough and if i can buy less of those rotisserie chickens from the store thats all the better. Hope u enjoy the upcoming holidays!
Whitney English says:
Haha yes 2016 is the year to be a big girl!! Save money on those rotisseries :) Hope you’re having a happy holiday! xo
rachel Spencer @ WellnessBling says:
OMG Whitney, i can’t wait to try this at home this New Year’s eve. I would love to share this to my family and friends. And the recipe is great i love cooking healthy foods.
Whitney English says:
Thanks Rachel! Let me know if you try it!! xo