Herb-Roasted Chicken with Crispy Potatoes

A whole chicken rubbed with garlic, fresh rosemary, and thyme roasts until the skin turns burnished and crisp. Potatoes tumble in olive oil and roast alongside, catching every savory dripping. The house fills with the smell of herbs and browned skin. Everything comes together on one pan, and the result is a proper Sunday supper that asks very little of you but gives back plenty.

By TasteBuds

Recipe details

Yield
4 people
Prep time
20 minutes
Cook time
1 hour 30 minutes
Total time
1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 (4 lb) whole chicken, patted dry (check certification for kosher or your household standard)
  • 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1½-inch chunks
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme, leaves stripped and chopped
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp kosher salt (plus more for potatoes)
  • 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 large lemon, halved
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional, for serving)

Instructions

  1. Pat 1 whole chicken (4 lb / 1.8 kg) completely dry inside and out with paper towels. A dry surface helps the skin crisp.
  2. Mince 6 cloves garlic.
  3. Strip the leaves from the thyme stems and chop them along with the rosemary. You need 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped and 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped.
  4. In a small bowl, combine the 6 cloves garlic, minced, 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped, 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped, 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (reserve the rest for the potatoes), 2 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground. Stir into a thick paste.
  5. Rub the herb paste all over the chicken, getting under the skin of the breasts and thighs where you can without tearing it. Massage it into the legs and wings. Tuck 1 large lemon, halved into the cavity.
  6. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
  7. Cut 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes into 1½-inch chunks. No need to peel them unless you want to.
  8. Toss the 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1½-inch chunks with the remaining 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and a good pinch of kosher salt. Spread them on a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer, leaving space in the center for the chicken.
  9. Place the chicken in the center of the pan, breast-side up, right on top of the potatoes or nestled among them.
  10. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F (74°C) on a meat thermometer. The potatoes will turn crisp and brown at the edges, soaking up the drippings.
  11. Let the chicken rest on the pan for 10 minutes before carving. The juices will settle, and the potatoes will stay warm.
  12. Carve the chicken and arrange it on a platter with the potatoes. Scatter 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped over the top if you like, and serve.