The chicken is roasted until perfectly charred and juicy inside, while the vegetables are tender and flavorful. It is a great weekend one-pan dinner that takes little effort to prepare. {Gluten Free}
To whip together a quick dinner, I bake chicken pieces such as thighs or breasts. But whenever I have a bit more time, like on a Saturday evening, I always prefer to cook with a whole chicken like we do back in China. That Asian part of me will never change. Not only is it cheaper to prepare a meal using a whole chicken, but the chicken is also much more flavorful and juicy when cooked with the bones in.
Today I want to introduce you to one of my favorite chicken dinners in the wintertime. It is a one-pan roast chicken with a flavorful dry rub, and various colorful vegetables cooked until tender and sweet. The reason I love this recipe is that you only need 15 minutes of prep time and one pan to yield a super comforting feast that is enough for four people.
How to cook crispy juicy whole chicken
- Generously season the chicken with salt and dry-brine for 30 minutes.
I found that dry-brining is much more practical for home cooks and it generates great results. As a general rule of thumb, I use about 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of salt for every pound of meat. The salt will draw moisture from the surface of the chicken, to ensure better browning. Plus, even a short marinating will make the chicken much more flavorful.
- Stuff the chicken with citrus.
Not only does it impart a fruity flavor to the meat, it tenderizes the chicken and keeps it from drying out, even if you happen to overcook the chicken a bit. I learned this trick from my reader Phlip for the best roast duck. Now I use it in almost every poultry recipe to get that juicy, tender meat.
- Roast at a relatively high temperature.
There is no right or wrong temperature when it comes to roasting chicken. It really comes down to the marinade/dry rub you use, and what do you plan to cook the chicken with. Both low and high temperatures generate great results as long as you don’t overcook. I chose 400F for this recipe so we can crisp up both sides of the chicken and cook the vegetables through at the same time.
- Roast both sides of the chicken.
It’s a bit of a hassle to flip a chicken in the middle of roasting, but I highly recommend it if you like crispy chicken skin as much as I do. Of course, the back skin will never get as crispy as the breast skin, but it will taste much better than soggy skin.
If you really don’t want to flip the chicken during baking, you can bake the chicken breast-up all the way through. Make sure to check on the chicken after 40 minutes, and loosely cover it with aluminum foil if the surface is already browned but the meat is not cooked through.
More cooking notes
- If you want charred vegetables.
I love crispy vegetables, so I always turn on my broiler at the end of the cooking and broil the vegetables for 4 to 6 minutes to get that nice char.
- If you want the chicken thigh extra crispy.
Carve the chicken first into breasts, leg-and-thigh portions, and wings. Then you can return the leg-and-thigh portions to the oven with the broiler on a couple minutes, to get the skin on the thighs extra crispy.
- To tie or not to tie the chicken?
It does not make a huge difference in terms of cooking results. But I do find that tying the chicken yields prettier results and it makes the flipping easier. You can watch this video on how to tie a chicken for roasting.
- Use a flavorful homemade rub
I highly recommend my homemade Sichuan dry rub or five spice rub to cook this dish. A homemade rub takes no time to make and creates a better flavor. Always make a bit extra, so you have some to use next time. They usually stay fragrant for a couple weeks in the fridge without any problem.
Does this recipe look easy enough? Try it out next time for your Saturday dinner and you’ll be surprised how easy it is to create crispy roast chicken with juicy, tender meat in your own kitchen!
More roast chicken recipes
- The Best Cantonese Roast Chicken
- African chicken
- 5-Ingredient Baked Chicken Thigh
- Grilled Chicken Breast with Black Bean Sauce
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
One-Pan Roast Chicken And Vegetables
Ingredients
- Chicken
- 1 whole chicken 3 to 5 pounds / 1.5 to 2 kilograms
- Salt
- 3 to 4 citrus fruits lemon, lime, and/or orange, peels removed and halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Dry rub of your choice I highly recommend my Sichuan dry rub
- Chopped parsley for garnish (Optional)
- Vegetables
- 1 large onion , cut into large pieces
- 1 russet potato , cut to 1.5-inch (4-cm) pieces (Footnote 1)
- 3 carrots , chopped to 1.5-inch (4-cm) pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Remove the chicken neck and innards from the cavity. Generously sprinkle salt on the surface and the inside of the chicken. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, or in the fridge for up to 6 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). Position the oven rack to 1/3 of the way from the bottom of the oven, so the chicken will sit in the middle.
- Spread the vegetables in a single layer in a large baking dish (I used a 13”x9” dish) (*Footnote 2)
- Thoroughly pat the outside and inside of the chicken dry with paper towel. Brush a thin layer of oil onto the skin. Sprinkle dry rub generously on all sides of the chicken. Stuff the citrus into the cavity of the chicken. Tie chicken legs with kitchen twine and tuck the chicken wing tips underneath the wings. Place the chicken, breast-side-down onto the vegetables.
- Bake for 30 minutes (20 minutes for a smaller bird). Carefully flip the chicken using one hand with an oven mitt on and a few layers of kitchen towel on top, and the other hand with a pair of tongs. Continue baking for another 20 minutes for a smaller chicken (under 4 pounds), and 30 to 40 minutes for a larger chicken (4 to 5 pounds). To test the doneness of the chicken, you can use a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bones. It should read 160 F (the temperature will continue to rise to 165 F when you rest the chicken). Or you can slice the skin at the base of the thigh and pull the thigh. The juice should turn clear, and there should be no purple color on the meat, and the thigh should pull apart rather easily.
- Transfer the chicken to a big plate and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
- (Optional) If you want the vegetables crispier, turn on the broiler and place the oven rack under the broiler. Bake for a few more minutes until the vegetables are slightly charred.
- Carve the chicken. Serve with the vegetables as a main dish.
- When you finish your chicken, don’t forget to save the bones and use this recipe to make a delicious broth from the leftover bones.
Notes
- You can use a baking dish of any size as long as the chicken fits into it. You can also use a cast iron pan or a baking sheet. Simply adjust the amount of the vegetables so they fit into the pan in one layer.
- The baking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken. If your chicken is on the smaller side, under 4 pounds, you can cut the potatoes and carrots into smaller 1-inch (2-cm) pieces, so they won’t overcook.
Nutrition
Must try your Sichuan dry rub! I bet it would be so good on so many things. Finger licking delicious chicken. Take care
Thank you Bobbi! I hope you are having a great holiday season and the work won’t be too crazy 🙂