There is nothing, and I mean nothing, like a roast chicken. The smell alone will draw my family form all over the house to the dinner table without being asked twice. The skin is crisp and crackly, speckled with bits of salt and flecks of pepper. The potatoes are soft and bathing in the chicken fat. The chicken itself is succulent and seasoned, perfectly cooked, requiring nothing more than a crust of bread or a pile of simple greens to round out the meal.

Roast Chicken can be other-worldly, the crowning jewel of weeknight menu planning, a centerpiece of hospitality.

I first learned to roast a chicken several years ago because I was tired of trying it once or twice and being disappointed. My chicken never looked like the chicken in the photos. My chicken didn’t taste all that great. My chicken made me think it was a lost cause to even try.

Instead of giving up, I rolled up my sleeves, and committed to roasting a chicken every week until I cracked the code and was able to roast a chicken that lived up to my high standards. Along the way I researched and drew information from different sources. I tried and tried and tried again, until one day, finally, I was able to produce a roasted chicken that felt worth it both in taste and presentation.

I had taken copious notes during this process, and by the end of it, I had a recipe and method all my own.

Today, I am sharing that recipe with you. As you look at it, you will notice it is not fussy. The ingredients are very straight-forward, and the method is simple. As it should be for a weeknight roasted chicken.

I am also sharing an overview video that will walk you through the method, showcasing some of my favorite tips and tricks.

If you decide to roast a chicken, please feel free to pepper me with questions. The process can bring up lots of unexpected challenges, and I would love to support you in!

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, between 3 and 5 pounds
potatoes, cut into walnut-sized pieces
2 heads garlic
2 lemons
1 bunch fresh thyme
olive oil
Kosher salt

Instructions

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for one hour.Preheat the oven to 425.
Remove the chicken from the packaging. Pat the chicken dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Generously season with Kosher salt, inside and outside, and underneath the skin. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
Place the potatoes in the bottom of the roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season liberally with Kosher salt.
Place the chicken on top of the potatoes.
Cut the garlic and lemon in half, and scatter the halves around the chicken.
Place the thyme around the chicken as well.
Roast the chicken until a meat thermometer registers 165 in the deepest part of the breast meat, approximately 75 to 90 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest for a minimum of twenty minutes.
Remove the twine, discard the thyme, and carve the chicken in the pan.
Serve with the roasted lemon juice squeezed on top.

Roast Chicken With Potatoes