Roasted Chicken and Vegetables is the perfect dinner and easy to make. Spread some chopped vegetables like carrots and celery in the dish, rub a little butter and olive oil on the chicken, and pop it in the oven.
Making a terrific roasted chicken and vegetables at home couldn’t be easier, and it’s a universally friendly, delicious dish to have in your cooking repertoire. Add a simple green salad and it’s almost a one-pot meal and a wonderful selection for a family dinner.
You may also like my Rosemary and Lemon Roast Chicken or Pesto Chicken with Roasted Vegetables.
Another option for a whole chicken is to smoke it, which might take a little bit longer, but gives you terrific flavor. Follow these easy instructions for How to Smoke Chicken on a Pellet Grill.
TIP: I like to use smaller chickens and try to find organic ones around 3.5-4 lbs., but you can also use the larger roasters that are usually found in most grocery stores. (More tips here on How to Buy Whole Chickens.)
Any vegetables will work in this dish…for this one, I used what I had, which turned out to just be onions and carrots. But I would ordinarily add celery, maybe fennel, and sometimes potatoes. You’ll also need a lemon and fresh thyme and rosemary.
How to roast a chicken
- Let the chicken sit at room temperature for half an hour.
- Scatter chopped vegetables in a roasting pan and season.
- Add the chicken and season.
- Roast 20 minutes, flip chicken, roast 20 more minutes, flip again.
- Finish another 30-45 minutes, depending on size of chicken.
How long to roast chicken
Depending on how large your chicken is, this recipe can take 1 – 2 hours. The skin will get super crispy from the butter and olive oil, and flipping the chicken a couple of times ensures even cooking.
Roasted chicken and vegetables
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least thirty minutes before cooking. Meat should always come to room temperature before you start cooking.
2. Preheat the oven to 475°. The high temperature initially will help give your chicken a nice crispy skin. Choose your vegetables, wash and chop into large pieces, then scatter them around in the bottom of a large braiser, a roasting pan or baking dish. (See this post on How to Chop and Prep Root Vegetables.)
3. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt, pepper and a tablespoon of Herbes de Provence. Then drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands. Slice a head of garlic in half and add that to the vegetables.
4. Remove giblets from chicken and discard unless you’re making gravy. Pat the chicken all over with paper towels to try and get it as dry as possible. Squeeze lemon into the cavity of the chicken and then place the lemon halves, thyme and rosemary inside the chicken. Tuck the wing tips under and tie the legs with kitchen twine.
5. Brush melted butter over the chicken, covering all the sides. Sprinkle salt, pepper and a tablespoon Herbes de Provence over the chicken, then drizzle with a little olive oil. The butter and olive oil will ensure a nice, crackly, crispy skin. If you don’t have Herbes de Provence then just use a mix of Italian herbs.
6. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and put the dish in the oven. Turn heat down to 425° and roast for 20 minutes. Remove the dish and flip the chicken over so it’s breast-side down and roast another 20 minutes. Then flip it back over and roast until done, 30-45 minutes.
7. Remove the roasted chicken and vegetables from the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes before carving.
Roast chicken temperature
How to you know when your chicken is done? The leg should move freely and juices should run clear when you cut into the thigh. I like to use this meat thermometer that will alert me when the internal temperature is 165°. With a thermometer, if I get distracted I still won’t overcook my roast chicken!
What to do with leftovers?
You can turn your leftover roast chicken into different meals for the week! Here are some of my favorite ways to use leftovers:
We love these Chicken lettuce wraps and keep a bowl mixed up in the fridge most of the summer.
For something a little easier and with less chopping, you could make these Cheesy Chicken Crescent Rolls. Kids go nuts for this recipe and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes!
You can never go wrong with Chicken enchiladas or this Easy buffalo chicken dip. Either of these will feed a large family.
Tips and frequently asked questions
Tip – Check the vegetables periodically and if they start to look dry you may need to add a little water. Usually, the chicken produces enough juice that the vegetables won’t need any help.
How do you reheat roast chicken?
You can use the microwave or the oven. If using the oven, heat at 350° until warm. Be careful not to leave the cooked chicken in the oven too long or it will get dry. I prefer heating in the microwave.
What should you serve with roast chicken?
Because you’ve got vegetables cooking right along with the chicken, you don’t need a lot of other sides. If you decide to forgo the vegetables, however, there are plenty of options to go with your roasted chicken:
- Jalapeno creamed corn
- Roasted pearl onions
- Skillet dressing
- Southern broccoli casserole
- Homemade biscuits
- Chocolate cobbler
- Pumpkin crumb cake
Equipment
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Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 3-4 lb. chicken
- 2 carrots, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 onion, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 2 stalks celery, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning, divided
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, halved
- 6 stalks fresh thyme
- 2 stalks fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 head garlic, top sliced off
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 475. Place carrots, onion, and celery in a shallow roasting pan and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of Herbes de Provence. Drizzle olive oil over vegetables then toss with hands.
- Remove giblets from chicken and pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place chicken on top of vegetables.
- Squeeze lemon into cavity of chicken and then place lemon, thyme, and rosemary inside chicken. Tuck wing tips under chicken and tie legs together with kitchen twine.
- Brush chicken with melted butter. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence. Drizzle chicken with olive oil. Place garlic on top of vegetables next to chicken and drizzle garlic with olive oil.
- Place dish in oven and turn oven down to 425. Roast for twenty minutes, then flip chicken to breast-side down and roast another twenty minutes.
- Turn chicken back to breast-side up and roast for another 50 minutes.
- Check for doneness and if done, remove chicken from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Leg should move freely and thigh juices should run clear. Thigh should be 165°.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post for Roasted Chicken and Vegetables was originally published August 21, 2013, and on August 10, 2021, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, new tips.