This French inspired one pan meal tastes AMAZING, and is the perfect meal for company.
I know that roasting a whole chicken can be a little intimidating to some but this is a very easy to follow recipe that I love to make for family. It is fall off the bone juicy and looks absolutely beautiful!
Isn’t that gorgeous?
I find there is something about making a roasted chicken that is so fulfilling and even for new cooks this is a great meal to practice cooking and perfecting. The problem that most cooks face is getting a even roast which is difficult since we are cooking a whole bird. I find the best way is to protect the breast from burning and by stuffing under the skin to keep the breasts moist and juicy. This is also going to infuse the bird with lots of delicious flavor. For this recipe we will be using fresh herbs, butter, garlic, and salt.
I like to use fresh basil and chives.
The other trick we will be doing to achieve a moist and flavorful bird is to stuff it. I make a simple herb dressing using the same herb butter we made for the chicken breast, and simply chop up a few sourdough bread pieces and toss in the herb butter.
These bread pieces go into the cavity of the bird.
From here I add cut baby red potatoes in half and spread around the pan along with a thick sliced lemon.
Some oil, seasoning is spread on and then we simply bake. About halfway through I add a bit of stock and baste the bird. Once we achieve the perfect golden brown its time to eat.
OK, let’s get started!
Herb Roasted Chicken and Baby Red Potatoes
Equipment
- Roasting pan
- butchers twine
Ingredients
- 1 4-6 pound whole young chicken
- 6 tbsp. butter
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh chives, mined
- 2 tbsp. minced garlic
- 2 tbsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- 1 lemon, thick slices
- 1 1-2 pound bad of baby red potatoes, cut in half
- 1/2 cup turkey or chicken stock
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 450°
- In a large enough roasting pan to hold the chicken and potatoes, add the whole bird, breast side up. Make sure you have removed any insides that may have been left in by the butcher
- In a medium bowl combine the butter, herbs, garlic, and 1 1/2 tbsp. of salt. Mix well. Reserve 2 tbsp. for the bread crumbs.
- Loosen up the skin on the chicken breast. Using your fingers gently separate the skin from the breast enough to get your fingers under it. Using all but about 2 tbsp. of the butter herb blend, gently push and spread the butter under the skin and onto the breasts. Coat well from the back to front.
- Now toss the bread crumbs in the bowl with the remaining butter.
- Stuff the bread into the cavity of the bird.
- Truss or tie the legs together.
- Lay breast side up in the pan and place the potatoes around it. Add the lemon slices. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes with the remaining 1/2 tbsp. of sea salt and 1 tsp pepper.
- On the 3rd rack of the oven slide the roasting pan in and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- After time is up, pour the stock over the chicken and into the pan. Roast for 25-30 minutes more.
- After time is up, baste the chicken with the juices. If you need to add a little more stock do so. At this point create a tin foil tent on the top of the pan as to not burn the breast but keep roasting evenly.
- Cook for 15- 20 minutes more. Check the temp in the thickest part of the thigh. Thermometer should read 165°
- Pull the bird out and let it rest for 10-15 minutes with foil on.
- Baste the bird with the pan juices, pull/cut apart and serve with the potatoes and stuffing. Drizzle the chicken with the pan juices on the serving plate.
- ENJOY!
