The Perfect Roast Chicken

A simple, yet flavorful chicken recipe to make over and over again.

One of the first times I ever saw a roast chicken recipe made on TV was on an episode of Barefoot Contessa. In the episode, Ina Garden shared her recipe for the “perfect roast chicken” and made it look easy enough that 10-year-old me tried it out. Although I can honestly say it did not come out quite as good as the photos here (culinary school gave me a few extra tips and tricks ~ which I am sharing below,) it was so simple and juicy and genuinely made a perfect roast chicken.

As Fall is now upon us, I am re-sharing this recipe with some extra guidance to help you bring this quintessential recipe for me into your home and share it with your family and friends.

Recipe and PDF print out below.

The Perfect Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 4 - 5 pound) whole chicken

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 large bunch fresh thyme

• 1 bunch fresh rosemary

• 1 lemon, halved

• 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

• 4 tbsp butter, melted

• 1 large yellow onion, halved and then thickly sliced

• 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks

• 1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges

• 1 lb baby potatoes, halved

• Olive oil

• kitchen twine

Gravy Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter

• 2 tbsp AP flour

• 1 cup chicken stock

Steps:

Prep the Chicken

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the packaging, then remove the innards typically stuffed inside. Use paper towels to dry the entire exterior and interior of the chicken. If there is excess fat near the opening cavity of the chicken, use kitchen scissors to remove it.

2. Generously season the outside and inside of the chicken with salt and pepper. Add 3 sprigs of thyme, 3 sprigs of rosemary, and the garlic and lemon halves to the center of the chicken. Bring the two chicken legs together (crossing one over the other) and tie them together with a small piece of kitchen twine. Tuck the wing tips in under the chicken.

3. Brush the melted butter all over the chicken's exterior, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies.

4. Chop up the onions, carrots, fennel, and potatoes and add them to the bottom of a medium-sized roasting pan or sheet tray that comes up on the sides. Add a good drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Toss well to coat, then put the chicken on top of the vegetables in the center. Give the chicken one more final seasoning of salt and pepper.

   

Cooking the Chicken

5. Place the chicken on the center rack of the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the chicken and use a brush to reapply the pan drippings all over its exterior. Rotate the tray 180 degrees and return it to the oven for another 30 minutes.

6. After an hour of cooking, remove it from the oven and reapply the pan drippings to the exterior. Depending on the exact size of the chicken, cook another 15-30 minutes.

7. Remove the chicken tray from the oven and carefully transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Gently tent the chicken with tin foil to keep it hot while it rests for 20 minutes.

Finish the Veggies & Make Gravy

8. Using a strainer over a bowl or glass, carefully remove all the pan drippings and liquid from the roasting pan ~ leaving 1 tbsp behind. Place the tray of vegetables back into the oven to finish cooking and browning for 20 minutes.

9. In the meantime, make the gravy. Melt the butter in a small sauce pot, then add the flour, whisking immediately to form a smooth consistency. Cook down for 2-3 minutes until it’s a sandy golden color. Pour the pan drippings and immediately whisk (mine is usually around 1/2 cup.) Then add in the chicken stock, whisk until smooth, and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes, whisking every few minutes.

10. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Slice the Chicken and Serve

11. Slice the chicken to your preference. I like to remove the legs, separating the drum and thigh, then remove the breasts and slice them into pieces.

12. Add the cut chicken to a plate alongside the veggies and serve with the warm gray.

ENJOY!!!

The PDF printout:

The Perfect Roast Chicken

56.6KB ∙ PDF file

Download

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As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask! And if you recreate this beauty, please take pictures and share them with me!!! I LOVE to see your recreations ❤️