BAKED WHOLE CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES
Whole baked chicken with vegetables is a dinner preparation wonder. Aside from making a delicious one-pan meal (chicken, vegetables, and potatoes, oh my! ), roasting the chicken over a bed of vegetables allows the vegetables to absorb the delicious chicken taste.
Adapted from my grandfather’s famous roast turkey, the marinade for this entire roasted chicken was inspired by a family tradition: the annual Thanksgiving feast. When my grandfather (my father’s father) worked as a cook at a restaurant, he would marinate chickens and turkeys in a very simple marinade.
Garlic, salt, pepper, and butter or oil are the sole ingredients in the marinade. That marinade packs a powerful flavor punch on the chicken while allowing the natural flavor of the bird to shine through.
Using this recipe, you may have a complete supper on the table in just one pan. So now you’ve got a deliciously roasted chicken, along with your choice of vegetables and carbohydrate (potatoes).
If you like, you can add a simple salad to the meal. Olive oil and lemon juice could be added to the spring mix or baby arugula.
Even though this Baked Whole Chicken is a simple weeknight meal, it’s also an impressive dinner for guests because of how delicious and elegant it is.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 whole roasting chicken
- 3 peeled medium onions, cut into wedges
- 4 carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 tablespoons of melted butter
- 3 medium potatoes
- 3 cloves of finely minced garlic
- 1 rimmed, scrubbed, and halved bunch radishes
- 2 ½ teaspoons of salt
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Before cooking, take the chicken out of your fridge and let it sit out for about two hours. Cooking chicken evenly is difficult if it is chilly. Remove the chicken giblets and thoroughly wash the chicken. With paper towels, pat the chicken dry completely.
- Make sure your oven is preheated at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and a rack is in the lowest third of the oven.
- Rotisserie chicken is ready to be served when the chicken is browned on all sides. Set aside a single layer in your pan by adding 2 Tbsp. melted butter along with 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, along with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter with the finely minced garlic, 2 12 teaspoons salt, and 12 teaspoon black pepper. Using a pastry brush, apply this mixture to the inside and outside of the chicken.
- You may check for doneness by cutting into the chicken after it has rested for a few minutes.
- After cooking, remove the chicken and veggies to a serving dish and cover them with aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes. Serve the chicken and veggies, along with any pan drippings, with slicing.