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Roast chickens are totally misunderstood. Often thought to be difficult, or unapproachable, I find them one of the easiest meals to prepare. In fact, they’re often a go-to for me when I don’t actually feel like cooking, but want a from-scratch comforting meal. Plus, it’s no coincidence that magazine after magazine noted, if there’s one dish in the entire world that could generate a proposal out of someone, it’s a perfectly roasted chicken.
Here’s why a roast chicken needs to be in your repertoire:
1. No cooking prior to roasting
2. The oven does all the work
3. Veggies/starch are cooked in the same pan, at the same time
4. Crispy Skin
5. Ummm Crispy Skin
It’s quite the dispute on how to achieve the perfect roast chicken, after all, every cook has their own fool-proof method…. Only salt and pepper. Only butter. Only olive oil. Butter and Olive Oil. Stuff the cavity with aromatics. An even high temperature. High temp, low temp. Every method IS THE ABSOLUTE ONLY WAY TO ROAST A CHICKEN.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret….there is no “right” method.
My preferred – not necessarily right –method is smothering a dry bird with softened butter and a liberal dousing of salt. I then stuff the cavity with onion, garlic and lemon to infuse as much flavor into the meat as possible. Roasting at a super high temperature for a short period of time ensures a super crispy skin and then the temperature is reduced to keep the chicken moist and tender. Simple as can be.
This time, instead of smothering the skin with plain butter, I switched things up a bit by mixing the softened butter with some lemon zest and fennel fronds. The bottom of the pan is lined with russet potato wedges, sliced fennel and Spanish olives, completing the meal.
Comfort food at its finest…
- 1-5 lb roast chicken
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon fennel fronds
- 1 lemon + 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 large potatoes cut into wedges
- ½ cup Spanish olives
- Fennel bulb, sliced thin
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Combine butter, fennel fronds and zest. Smother over chicken and under skin.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Place potato in the bottom of roasting pan. Place chicken on roasting rack and cook for 25 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and add sliced fennel and olives to potatoes.
- Cook another 50-60 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Tossing the vegetables a couple time throughout the process. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees and any juices from the chicken should be clear.
- Let rest for 15 minutes before craving.
todd wagner says
Indeed, THIS is what comfort food is all about. I dunno if I’ve ever seen a prettier bird!!
Nicole says
Thanks Todd!!!
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says
What a gorgeously roasted chicken! Roasting whole chickens is my new favorite thing to do on Sunday afternoons, so I will definitely be trying this one out soon! 😀
Nicole says
Thanks Jess!!! Isn’t there just something so wonderful about a roast chicken on a Sunday?
[email protected] says
This is just beautiful and now you have me craving roast chicken! Pinned!
Nicole says
Thanks Justine!
Ashley says
I really don’t make roast chicken enough … it’s kinda sad. I don’t know why because they aren’t difficult! And especially this time of the year … so comforting! This sounds delish!!
Nicole says
I definitely don’t either, and each time I do, I wonder why I don’t make them more often!
Emily | Jelly Toast says
I could not agree more about the wonders of roast chicken! Love the addition of fennel here!
Nicole says
Thanks Emily!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Cannot remember the last time that I had roast chicken. This looks SO delicious. Definitely a recipe that I am dying to recreate.. I bet your kitchen smelt amazing whilst this was roasting!
Nicole says
It SO did!! There’s nothing like that smell! Thanks Thalia!
Kristen says
What temp do you reduce it to?
Nicole says
Sorry Kristen! 375 degrees! Recipe updated!