This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission.
Everyone has their own recipe for a roast chicken and potatoes and here is mine! Follow my steps to be rewarded with a juicy, crispy-skinned chicken and golden roast potatoes. Add a couple sides and you have a fantastic roast dinner, and all done with very little prep!
Chicken is my go-to for roast dinners, so I like to add a bit of variety to keep things interesting. For a completely different taste experience, try Roast Chicken with Mango Chutney Glaze!
As much as I love all types of food from every corner of the world the ultimate comfort food for me will always be Roast Chicken and Potatoes. This taste of childhood and the aroma that comes from the kitchen when mom is making a special dinner is something that cannot easily be replaced.
Fortunately, cooking a simple roast chicken is much easier and quicker than is assumed. It doesn’t have to be reserved for special occasions.
Just because you serve a roast doesn’t mean you have to have all the trimmings with it. Sometimes a simple green salad or roasted vegetable hits the spot!
What I also love about this meal is it only requires about 15 minutes of hands-on time. The rest of the cooking is done in the oven without your involvement.
Time to cook roast chicken
At this point you are probably wondering about the exact timing for cooking a whole chicken, and traditionally it has been said that it takes about two hours for a 2kg/4lbs chicken.
The guide I use is to cook 20 minutes per pound plus an additional 15 minutes, so adjust your cooking time accordingly. Don’t worry if your bird is bigger or smaller as you can adjust the time accordingly.
The best way to ensure that your chicken is cooked to perfection is to use a This is an affiliate link.meat thermometer. Towards the end of the cooking time insert it in the thickest part of the chicken and wait until the temperature registers at 165F/75C.
I personally prefer a digital, instant read thermometers. They are easy to use and read.
Anything above that temperature will result in a dry chicken and nobody likes that! With the thermometer, you can use cooking times as a guide, rather than a strict rule.
Adding great flavour
Roast chicken can get a bad rep for being bland but it doesn’t have to be this way! Chicken is so easy to add flavour to if you give it a bit of attention. Here’s how:
- Chicken loves citrus, so inserting a lemon or an orange in the cavity will infuse your chicken from the inside.
- Chicken loves herbs, and any herbs you can think of will be better than no herbs. My personal favourites are rosemary and thyme. These woodsy herbs endure the high heat of the oven quite well without turning into a crisp and do a beautiful job of flavouring your chicken.
- Chicken loves garlic but you need to be smart about using it in the oven. If you crush it and rub your chicken all over, it will simply burn and turn bitter. I usually put little slits into the chicken and insert garlic slices into them. This way the chicken will be infused with the garlic from the inside.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- The actual cooking time can vary depending on the size of the chicken and because ovens vary in temperature. Use a This is an affiliate link.meat thermometer to know when the chicken is done, rather than strictly following cooking times. Stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, and remove when it reads 165F/75C.
- Take care of the chicken skin. We all love that golden, crispy skin that covers a roast chicken, right? The secret to achieving it is by rubbing the skin with flaky sea salt. The salt will draw the moisture out and leave the skin paper-thin and crisp!
- Don’t forget to leave time for the chicken to rest before serving. This allows liquid to be reabsorbed into the meat and makes for chicken that is beautifully moist.
Serving suggestions
Serve your roast chicken and potatoes with any vegetables that are in season. Quite often I serve mine with a simple green salad dressed with a vinaigrette. I also find Maple Glazed Roasted Carrots to be a perfect side dish for this chicken, along with Crispy Brussels Sprouts.
It’s especially convenient because the salad dressing can double as a sauce since I don’t want to make gravy for my everyday chicken!
That said, sometimes the meal just doesn’t feel complete without a splash of gravy. For those days I have my wonderfully Easy Homemade Gravy!
Storage and leftovers
If you have any leftovers, the best and the safest way to store your leftovers is to take the chicken flesh off the bones, since bacteria can start growing on bones and then spread on the chicken. Keep the chicken flesh in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days.
To really stretch out this recipe, use the carcass to make a homemade stock, which will be far more flavourful than store-bought. Just follow my instructions for Turkey Stock!
More chicken recipes
- Spanish-style Baked Chicken Thighs and Potatoes
- French Chicken Casserole a la Normande
- Spatchcock Chicken in Spicy Yogurt Sauce
- Georgian Chicken Tabaka with Spicy Blackberry Sauce
Rosemary and Thyme Roast Chicken and Potatoes
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Meat thermometer
- This is an affiliate link.Roasting pan
Ingredients
- 1.5-2kg / 3-4 lbs whole chicken
- 2-3 sprigs each of rosemary and thyme
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon
- 1kg / 2 lbs potatoes
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 5-6 shallots, halved, optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 375F/190C.Chop up the herbs, peel the garlic cloves and slice them. Make little slits all over the chicken with the tip of your knife and slide the garlic slices into them.
- Prick the lemon with a fork and put it inside the cavity along with the half of the chopped herbs and a clove of sliced garlic.
- Rub the surface of the chicken with olive oil and the other half of the herbs. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Put in the oven in a large roasting pan and set the timer for 40 minutes
- While the chicken is cooking, get the potatoes ready. Wash the potatoes and cut them in half lengthways or in quarters if using large potatoes. Put them in a pot with salted water and bring them to a boil, continue boiling for 7 minutes, then drain in a colander, cover with a lid and set aside.
- When the timer for the chicken goes off take it out of the oven, baste it and scatter potatoes around it. Dip a pastry brush in the fat that collected in the roasting pan and brush the potatoes with it.Put the pan back in the oven for 1 hour-1 hour 20 minutes, checking from time to time making sure that your potatoes are roasting evenly and turning crispy on the outside. A half hour before the chicken is finished roasting add shallots if using.
- Take out of the oven when the internal temperature of the chicken is 165F/75C and the chicken skin is golden. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.
Notes
- Cooking time may change due to the size of the chicken size and variations in oven temperatures. The best way to know if the chicken is done is to use an oven thermometer. Remove the chicken from the oven when the thermometer reads 165F/75C.
- Rubbing the skin of the chicken with flaky sea salt is the best way to achieve thin and crispy skin after cooking. The salt draws the moisture out, which allows it to crisp up.
- Letting the chicken rest before serving allows for moisture to be reabsorbed into the meat, which makes for a far juicier roast chicken. Cover loosely in aluminium foil to keep it warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe did not work according to the directions. I had to cover the chicken to make juice, and uncover it at the end for the crispy skin.👎🏾👎🏾
Hi Marissa, I am not sure what you mean by “making juice”?? This method is a traditional way of roasting chicken that’s been used in England for centuries and I assure you it works brilliantly. Besides how would you know the recipe doesn’t work if you didn’t follow my instructions?
Should the Chicken be an approximate temp when removing after the 40 minutes?
Hi Briana, the chicken is not finished roasting after 40 minutes, it’s when you add potatoes to the roasting pan, then continue roasting for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes depending on the size of the chicken. Once cooked the internal temperature of the chicken should be 165F/75C.
Superb recipe. It was my first time roasting a whole chicken. It came out perfect!
Thanks, Erin! 🙂
Is the lemon whole, not cut in half?
It’s whole but you can also cut it in half, Lisa
An easily followed recipe producing a delicious meal with complex flavours very popular with our family.
Excellent 👌
Please explain #5. The chicken goes back in the pan with potatoes.
Hi Sandra, the potatoes are added to the roasting pan with the chicken as the instructions indicate, then the chicken needs to go back to the oven to continue roasting. I add potatoes in the middle of the cooking as they need less time in the oven.
Doesn’t slitting to insert garlic will cause the chicken juices to leak.
Cutting slits into meat and inserting garlic or herbs is a very common cooking technique. It allows to flavour the chicken from the inside and while some juices will seep out, tiny slits are not enough to leave your chicken dry.
I am making this today and I do not have shallots. Could I substitute leeks? Thank you
Absolutely leeks or onions will work!
Under direction #3 it says set timer for 40 HOUR… clarify please! Lol-Also, my teenage daughter is a vegetarian do you have any recipes that I can prepare for her? Thank you so very much
Hi Abby, it’s supposed to be 40 minutes, it’s been corrected. I have a vegetarian section on my blog, that I linked to, so feel free to browse. Butternut squash risotto is my personal favourite. 🙂
Are you suppose to cover all this while it’s in the oven??
You cook it uncovered, Bill. That’s how you get that crispy skin on the chicken and potatoes.
I made this for dinner and it was absolutely amazing! I never thought to add garlic to the chicken that way – have only done it with beef and pork. Really added to the flavor.
Roast chicken is in my top 5 favourite meals. Always reminds me of being little in my parents’ house! So glad you liked this recipe, Jessica.
I love this recipe! I’ve made it as written several times and it turns out perfectly. If I need to double the recipe will the baking time change? I plan to have a small dinner party and I’ll need to bake 2 chickens. Thanks!
Hi DeeDee, it all depends on your oven capacity. Mine is a very small European oven and I usually add 10-15 minutes when I double up anything. I haven’t cooked 2 chickens at once before and the best way to know would be checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. It should read 160 F for all poultry. I hope this helps! Do let me know how it goes. 🙂