3 Videos | Photo: Perfect Roast Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
- 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
- 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
- Olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.
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By sharmana_8507264
Greenville, SC
on June 14, 2013
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Absolutely the best chicken I have ever prepared or eaten! I used an organic chicken which had been brined (thanks to Trader Joes for selling it that way!. I did not have fennel, so as many others have done, I used golden potatoes. The chicken was extremely juicy and tender, and the veggies caramelized a bit on the bottom of the pan cooking in all those yummy pan juices and were just incredible. I never knew a simple roast chicken that took just minutes to prepare could be so outstanding! Thanks again Ina for another magnificent meal!!
By vbaby1
My House
on June 12, 2013
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I made this with organic chicken last night for dinner. I didn't use fennel or thyme and I didn't have lemons. So I mixed onions with lemon juice and out it inside the chicken. I also added golden potatoes with the veggies. It was delicious! The veggies were my favorite part. The chicken was good too. Next time ill probably cook it a tiny bit less but otherwise it was a very good recipe.
By ccefalu
on June 11, 2013
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Absolutely wonderful!! Great flavor and very moist. I did not use the fennel but substituted potatoes as others had suggested. This is my new favorite roast chicken.
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