A delicious oven dish: this recipe for whole roast chicken with potatoes from the oven. An easy recipe. The spices and added bacon give it a lot of flavor.
Roasting a whole chicken is one of the best ways to prepare poultry. The meat becomes tender and juicy and often falls off the bone. A whole bird is also economical compared with buying only breasts, and it provides handy leftovers for other dishes such as homemade chicken stock. Another benefit: a roasting chicken fills the house with an irresistible aroma.
A great scent!
When the oven fills with the scent of roasted chicken, the whole home feels cozier. On a cold day, walking in and smelling roasted chicken makes everyone warm up and hungry immediately.
How to check if your chicken is done?
The trickiest part of roasting a whole chicken is making sure it is thoroughly cooked. There’s nothing worse than serving a chicken that’s undercooked inside. For food safety and best results, I recommend two methods:
- Use a meat thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding bone) — the internal temperature should read at least 175°F (80°C).
- If you don’t have a thermometer, try the needle test: push a thick needle or skewer deep into the meatiest part of the bird, then press the meat so any juices run out through the needle hole. Clear juices indicate the chicken is done; pink juices mean it needs more time.
- Fresh herbs add the best flavor, but dried herbs work fine—use about 1 teaspoon of each dried herb if fresh aren’t available.
- If you prefer, substitute sweet potatoes for regular potatoes — they roast beautifully and are highly recommended.
Storage
- Leftover cooked chicken can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 days. I usually remove the meat from the bones and simmer the bones with leftover vegetables and herbs to make a rich chicken stock. Strain and cool the stock quickly, store in the fridge, and use it the next day to make a comforting chicken soup with the leftover meat.
- Cooked potatoes stored separately last about 1 day in the refrigerator (covered). Reheat them in butter in a skillet for delicious pan-fried potatoes the next day.
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📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Andréa
Recipe Help
Cooking mode and step-by-step instructions make following the recipe easier. You can also adjust servings to suit your needs.
Step-by-Step Directions
Ingredients
- 1 Whole chicken, about 2 ½ lb. (1200 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 lemon, organic if possible
- 5 twigs thyme
- 5 twigs oregano
- 1 bulb garlic
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1000 grams potatoes, Roseval or similar waxy potato works well
- 10 slices bacon
Instructions
- Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the butter, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture all over the chicken (inside and out) and refrigerate for a short while to let the flavors settle.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Wash the potatoes and cut them into wedges: halve them, then quarter each half.
- Bring salted water to a boil and add the potatoes along with the lemon and a few garlic cloves. Boil for about 10 minutes until slightly tender, then drain. Remove the lemon and garlic, return the potatoes to the pot and dry them briefly over low heat for about 30 seconds to remove excess moisture.
- Poke the lemon with a knife (this releases juices) and place it into the chicken cavity. Add the remaining garlic, thyme, and oregano into the cavity as well.
- Place the chicken in a roasting dish and roast for 45 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and set it on a plate. Spoon the chicken fat and juices into the roasting dish, add the par-boiled potato wedges and toss them with the juices. Strip the rosemary needles from the stems and mix them with the potatoes.
- Make a space in the center for the chicken and return it to the dish. Wrap the chicken with bacon slices so it’s well covered. Roast everything for another 45 minutes.
- Check doneness with a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (avoid touching bone): it should read at least 175°F (80°C). When done, remove the chicken from the oven.
- Remove the lemon, garlic, thyme, and oregano from the cavity. Mash or chop roasted garlic and mix it with a drizzle of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil; brush this mixture over the chicken.
- Take the bacon off the chicken, crumble it over the potatoes, and cover the chicken loosely with foil to rest for a few minutes so the juices redistribute and the flavors settle.
- Serve hot. This roast goes well with steamed carrots or green beans on the side.
Notes
- Putting a hot, pierced lemon in the cavity helps create steam and gently seasons the chicken from the inside.
- If you lack a thermometer, the needle or skewer test is a reliable alternative: clear juices mean the meat is cooked through.
- Fresh herbs are preferred for the best aroma and flavor; if using dried herbs, use about 1 teaspoon of each.
- Sweet potatoes are an excellent alternative to regular potatoes and add a lovely sweetness to the dish.
Nutrition
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