Poulet rôti facile
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Poulet rôti facile

Easy Roast Chicken

May 8, 2024
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The secret to juicy, tasty chicken!

Preparation Cooking time Portions
15 min 60 min 4 to 6 people

Ingredients :

  • 1 whole chicken of 1.5 to 2.5 kg
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small lemon, cut in half, or 1/2 large lemon
  • 1/2 yellow or white onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges
  • 2 sprigs rosemary or 1 small bunch thyme, optional
  • 3 tablespoons softened butter (optional)
  • 5 cups coarsely chopped vegetables, such as carrots, onions, potatoes, parsnips, fennel, butternut squash or turnips

Discover the easiest and most effective roast chicken recipe ever! Prepare a juicy and tasty roast chicken accompanied by delicious roasted vegetables in no time.

An Easy Roast Chicken for Busy Weeknights

Few dishes are as comforting as a juicy roast chicken with roasted vegetables. While there are many techniques for making a great roast chicken, such as dry-curing or wet-curing, they all require some preparation. And sometimes, there just isn't time.

This easy roast chicken recipe is perfect for those times. It’s simple to make , requires no special planning, and doesn’t require any hard-to-find ingredients . You can buy a chicken at the grocery store , go home, and cook it. It’s that easy!

No need for frills

The main advantage of this recipe is its simplicity. It will allow you to obtain a perfectly moist roast chicken . After years of cooking roast chickens, I have discovered that the ideal temperature is 200°C (400°F) for tender meat and slightly crispy skin, without the need for constant basting.

No rotisserie ? No problem!

Don't have a roasting pan? Me neither! You can use a Dutch oven (my favorite, 5 quarts or larger), a large cast iron casserole dish, or a rimmed baking sheet. I like to roast the chicken on a bed of vegetables because it elevates it and helps it cook and brown more evenly. Plus, you can enjoy vegetables on the side. Root vegetables like carrots , turnips , and parsnips work great, as do potatoes , whole cloves of garlic , large chunks of onion , fennel , etc. Even a large diced apple works well. Use whatever you have on hand.

How to Perfectly Make Your Roast Chicken

Although this recipe couldn't be simpler, a few aspects are essential to its success:

  • Start with a good chicken: Organic chicken is ideal, and air-chilled chicken is best. A chicken weighing five pounds or less will be most tender, but a 5-pound chicken will work just as well. Make sure it's fresh (check the expiration date) and, if you're starting with frozen chicken , let it thaw completely in the refrigerator first (this can take up to 2 days).
  • Season generously: Don't forget to season the inside and outside of the chicken with salt. Stuffing the cavity with herbs adds even more flavor.
  • Keep an eye on the cooking time: The worst thing you can do is cook a chicken for too long. Cooking time may vary depending on your oven.
  • Use a thermometer: This is non-negotiable. The old trick of waiting for the juices to run clear doesn't always work, and a cooking thermometer is the only way to tell if your chicken is safe to eat without drying it out.
  • Let it rest: Don't skip the resting step at the end. Otherwise, you'll be cutting into a hot chicken and losing a lot of moisture, as well as burning your fingers. Plus, it'll give you the perfect amount of time to set the table, toss a salad , and pour wine if you'd like.
  • Make Stock: Don't throw away the bones! After dinner , trim off any excess skin and place the entire carcass in a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze until you're ready to make chicken stock .

My little tip: use butter!

If you're in a hurry or don't want to get your hands dirty, you can skip the buttering step. However, if you have an extra three minutes and don't mind, it makes a real difference. The butter melts under the skin and bastes the meat for you, ensuring it's tender.

Additional tips:

  • Use root vegetables: Root vegetables like carrots, turnips and parsnips are great for roasting because they become tender and caramelized in the oven.
  • Add fresh herbs: Rosemary , thyme , and sage are classic herbs that pair well with chicken.

Instructions :

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C ( 400°F). Place a rack in the center of the oven . Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and let it sit on the counter to warm slightly.

1. Prepare the dish:

  • Add the roughly chopped vegetables to a Dutch oven, roasting pan , or rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold the chicken. Toss with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer.

2. Prepare the chicken:

  • Remove giblets from chicken cavity (if necessary) and discard any liquid. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels .

  • Season the cavity of the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Stuff it with the lemon, onion, and rosemary or thyme, if using. If using butter, gently separate the skin from the breast meat and slide the butter between the skin and meat. Use the remaining butter on your hands and spread it over the outside of the chicken. Season generously with salt and less generously with pepper. If using a salt shaker , this will be about 3 good pinches; if using a pepper mill , this will be about eight full turns of the mill.

  • Tuck the wings under the body so they don't stick out. Place the chicken, breast side up, on top of the vegetables.

3. Cooking:

  • Place the chicken in the oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). 165°F), or about 15 minutes per kg. Depending on the weight of your chicken, the total cooking time will be between 50 minutes and 1 hour and 40 minutes.

  • Begin checking for doneness 10 minutes ahead of schedule, and every 10 minutes thereafter as needed. Use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast (not touching the bone) and into a thigh to check for doneness. Both temperature readings should read at least 74 °C ( 165°F) .

4. Rest and service:

  • Baste the chicken with the pan juices and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving and serving (no need to cover). Squeeze the lemon juice from the chicken over the vegetables. Serve as a side dish, if desired.

Leftover roast chicken will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator .

Nutritional information (per share):

  • Calories: 627
  • Lipids: 34 g
  • Carbohydrates: 23 g
  • Protein: 60 g

I hope you enjoy this delicious cooking recipe !! Feel free to leave a comment.

Franck.T

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