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This whole roasted chicken with potatoes is very easy to make, hearty and cozy, all time favorite for a homemade family dinner.
This post was first posted in November 2014 and updated in Oct 2018.
Roasting a whole chicken might seem like a lot of work, but I assure you this Whole Roasted Chicken With Potatoes is so worth making.
Since I’m not experienced with cooking a whole turkey, I decided to just share with you a roast chicken with potatoes recipe, that I enjoy making very often. I made this for a family dinner last week and I even managed to take pictures of it. Everyone enjoyed the perfectly seasoned and cooked meat and it took me less than 2 hours to make.
Homemade roasted chicken versus rotisserie chicken:
I know that some people feel like roasting a chicken at home is absolutely unnecessary, since you can get a whole rotisserie chicken for not a lot of money, but believe me, this homemade chicken tastes absolutely delicious.
It is moist and tender, and I’ll share with you how I make that skin perfectly crisp and edible.
Yes, if you are short on time, rotisserie chicken is a great, delicious, quick and inexpensive choice. But if you have the time to roast your own chicken you should definitely do it.
Tips to make roasted chicken with potatoes:
For meals like this Whole Roast Chicken With Potatoes, I like to make some garlic -thyme butter, and rub it under and over the bird’s skin. I also like to stuff the inside of the chicken with lemon slices, shallots (or onions) and thyme, to keep is moist and add more flavors on the inside.
My mom used to make roast chicken the exact same way, and this recipe has been tested many times. I also cook potatoes in the same pan at the same time I roast the chicken. It really saves time, potatoes absorb some of the juices that chicken releases and you only wash one pan.
I think that roasted chicken is so much easier to make than a huge turkey, so if you have some time and would like some homemade juicy chicken meat, you should definitely try this recipe.
What ingredients do I need to make Roasted Chicken with Potatoes?
- Whole young chicken
- salt
- black pepper
- thyme
- garlic
- shallot
- lemon
- oil
- butter
- potatoes
- parsley
- chicken stock
How do I cook Chicken With Potatoes?
The most quick and easy way to cook a whole chicken with potatoes is to roast them together in one pan. In this recipe I often use sheet pan for roasting, but the last time I roasted it in my dutch oven and it worked pretty good.
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Preheat oven to 375 F. (190 C).
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Wash and dry chicken with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper the inside and outside.
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Prepare garlic-thyme butter: In a skillet over medium heat, heat up olive oil, then add shallots and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Add in butter, thyme, parsley and lemon zest.
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Using the back of a spoon or your fingers, gently separate the skin from the meat, without tearing through the skin.
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Using your fingers, gently spread garlic -thyme butter under the skin and over the skin of the chicken.
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Place slices of lemon, 2-3 shallots and 1-2 garlic cloves inside the cavity of the chicken and tie the legs together.
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Prepare potatoes- peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Toss in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add thyme and parsley. Add in shallots and garlic. (Shallots and garlic are totally optional, you can only roast potatoes).
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Grease a baking dish or line with aluminum foil and grease over the foil. Place chicken in the middle. Add potatoes, shallots and garlic. Pour chicken stock over potatoes. Alternatively use a Dutch oven or a Braiser to roast the chicken.
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Roast chicken with potatoes for 1 hour at 375 F. Take out of the oven and carefully flip chicken around. Roast for 15 more minutes, until browned and turn chicken again. Broil for 3-4 minutes, keeping an eye on the chicken and potatoes, making sure they don’t burn.
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The top should be nicely browned, not burned. Cooking time will vary, depending on the size of the chicken, type of oven used, type of pan used, etc. Thermometer inserted into the breast meat should read 165 F. (74 C).
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Take out of the oven and let chicken cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
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Cut, serve and enjoy.
How long to roast a whole chicken on the oven for?
It depends on the size of the chicken and oven temperature. The rule usually is to roast for 20 minutes per pound at 350 F.
I like to roast whole chicken at slightly higher temperature 375 F.
For crispy skin, broil for 3-5 minutes at the end.
More chicken recipes:
Whole Roasted Chicken With Potatoes
Ingredients
Chicken
- olive oil for baking dish
- one 3 1/2 pound chicken
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 lemon, (I used zest for the thyme garlic butter)
- 2-3 shallots
- 1 garlic clove chopped
Potatoes
- 2 lb potatoes, (yukon, red)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp thyme, (fresh or 1/2 tsp dry)
- 1 tsp parsley, (fresh or 1/2 tsp try)
- 10 shallots
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
Garlic thyme butter
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp minced Thyme
- 1 tbsp minced Parsley
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot -minced
- 1 garlic clove pressed
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. (190 C).
- Wash and dry chicken with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper the inside and outside.
- Prepare garlic-thyme butter: In a skillet over medium heat, heat up olive oil, then add shallots and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Add in butter, thyme, parsley and lemon zest.
- Using the back of a spoon or your fingers, gently separate the skin from the meat, without tearing through the skin.
- Using your fingers, gently spread garlic -thyme butter under the skin and over the skin of the chicken.
- Place slices of lemon, 2-3 shallots and 1-2 garlic cloves inside the cavity of the chicken and tie the legs together.
- Prepare potatoes- peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Toss in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add thyme and parsley. Add in shallots and garlic. (Shallots and garlic are totally optional, you can only roast potatoes).
- Grease a baking dish or line with aluminum foil and grease over the foil. Place chicken in the middle. Add potatoes, shallots and garlic. Pour chicken stock over potatoes.
- Roast chicken with potatoes for 1 hour at 375 F. Take out of the oven and carefully flip chicken around. Roast for 15 more minutes, until browned and turn chicken again. Broil for 3-4 minutes, keeping an eye on the chicken and potatoes, making sure they don't burn.
- The top should be nicely browned, not burned. Cooking time will vary, depending on the size of the chicken, type of oven used, type of pan used, etc. Thermometer inserted into the breast meat should read 165 F. (74 C).
- Take out of the oven and let chicken cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Cut, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I must say, I have your pork blade steak in the oven and rice in the rice cooker, and broccoli will be started soon! I want you to know, I so appreciate your concise detailed instructions for each of these recipes, the former and this one. I have roasted MANY whole chickens in my 40 years of marriage, yet I always come looking for the special idea. You gave that to me! I’m taking my whole chicken out of the freezer now, to thaw for dinner tomorrow night and using this recipe! Thank you!
Thank you so much Karen!
Made this last night – was fantastic!!
I did not have enough shallots nor a lemon, so I omitted the shallots for the potatoes and used lemon juice instead. Still worthy as a new family favorite!!
This came out the best I’ve ever made!!
What do you mean by flip chicken around? Like turn breast side down? Also, if the chicken is making juices during roasting, can you omit the chicken stock for the potatoes? Do they come out crispy? Thank you!
This means to turn chicken on the other side, while baking. I have not tried it without chicken stock, so I can’t tell if it works.