Simple Weeknight Gourmet: Oven-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

If I can create one complete and delicious meal using only 1 baking dish and a cutting board, I chalk it up as a win. Roasted chicken is by far one of my greatest staples in the weeknight menu. Once I chop up all the veggies, season the chicken, and stick it all in the oven, I get an hour or so of relaxation while the oven does its magic on my dinner. 

Hello, glass of wine.

This whole roasted chicken recipe works wonders for the masses. By roasting the entire chicken, the meat stays juicy and tender. Plus, as the juices run off the chicken, they help to flavor the surrounding roasting vegetables.

Then if you feel ambitious, you can take the leftover chicken bones and boil/simmer them in water. Throw in the leftover veggies and some noodles, and voila! Chicken noodle soup!

It's the chicken that keeps on giving.

Oven-Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch cyclinders
• 5-6 medium red bliss potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch long pieces
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• ~4 Tbs. dried rosemary*
• ~3 Tbs. dried thyme*
• ~3 tsp. sweet paprika*
• ~4 Tbs. Kosher salt*
• ~1 Tbs. ground black pepper*
• 1 Amish whole roasting chicken (factory-farmed chickens turn out drier and less flavorful)
• 1 lemon

*Feel free to adjust the amounts of types of spices you use on the chicken to your own taste preferences. Get creative on your chickie!

Culinary Dance Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. In a large baking dish, mix together the cut vegetables and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Then sprinkle 2 Tbs. rosemary, 2 Tbs. thyme, 2 tsp. paprika, 2-3 Tbs salt, and 2 Tbs. pepper. Mix the spices and veggies well.
3. Make a small hole in the middle of the vegetables on the baking dish, and place the chicken in the hole. Rub the remaining oil on the skin of the chicken, and evenly sprinkle the skin with the remaining oil, spices, salt, and pepper (or use as much of the spices to your own taste preferences). Make sure that the chicken ends up breast side down in the pan.
4. Cut the lemon in half and place half of the lemon inside the chicken cavity. Save the other half of the lemon for later.
5. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes breast side down.
6. Using a sturdy set of tongs, flip the entire chicken over onto its back. Make sure not to pierce or damage the skin. Give the vegetables a stir to ensure even roasting.
7. Lower the oven to 375° and bake the chicken breast side up for another 40-50 minutes, until the skin is golden brown, the chicken juices run clear, and the internal temperature of the chicken thigh is 155°. Careful not to overcook the chicken, or else the meat will get dry. Keep in mind that the chicken will continue to cook and rise ~5° in internal temperature even after you take it out of the oven.

1. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the oven, squeeze the juice from the remaining half of the lemon over all of the chicken and vegetables. Cover the entire baking dish with aluminum foil. Let the chicken and vegetables rest for 5-10 minutes before carving.

Now that your beautiful, golden chicken is ready for serving, Jamie Oliver and his great accent will teach you how to carve up this tasty bird: