Cozy Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Garlic is a whole meal in one pan. No one would ever guess it takes just 10 minutes to prepare!
A roast chicken with potatoes dinner always makes me think of home and what “home cooking” means to me. Growing up my mom used to make a Sunday dinner that was slow cooked or slow roasted. While a pot roast would take most of the afternoon after church to cook, a roast chicken dinner was just as easy to bring together to go into the oven and took about half the time. That time, while the chicken was roasting, was when we could catch up with each other with what was happening in school and at work.
In this age it is hard to image, just having time to sit and talk. My best memories are of the times gathered at the dining table with some coffee, tea, or juice and a small snack. There was no tv in the background. No cell phones to distract and for our community, it was common courtesy not to telephone on Sunday unless it was urgent. Those were truly the days of “mindfulness” and really learning about each other and yourself during the quiet times.
I have found that this dinner is a perfect way to bring balance back into my life. Not just because I have fond memories of roast chicken dinners, but because during the 2 hours it takes to roast, I have quiet time for myself to read or journal.
This really is a simple preparation.
Honestly! I'm saying that, even if you are a beginner at cooking, you will find this roast chicken dinner very easy to make. Think of it as putting the chicken in the middle of the pan and then building the rest of the dinner around it.
Ingredients
I generally already have in my pantry the pepper, cream sherry, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. So this means I only have to purchase the fresh ingredients: the whole chicken, tiny red potatoes, bulbs of garlic, and sprigs of fresh rosemary.
Instructions
Step 1 - Drizzle the baking pan with olive oil.
Step 2 - Cut the tops off bulbs of garlic. I like to have at least one bulb per person.
Step 3 - Place the prepared chicken in the center of the prepared baking pan and put bulbs of garlic around the chicken.
Step 4 - Scatter tiny red potatoes and tuck sprigs of fresh rosemary between chicken, potatoes, and garlic.
Step 5 - Drizzle more olive oil over everything and season with salt and pepper.
Step 6 - The dinner is now ready for the oven and all that is left to do is roast it and drizzle everything with cream sherry toward the end of the roasting time.
Special Tips
♥ Let your chicken and any refrigerated ingredients sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before you begin to prep your meal. The roasting time will be more accurate.
♥ All meat will brown easiest when it is dry. Make sure you dry the bird thoroughly before it goes onto the baking sheet.
My husband loves this dinner!
It’s hard for me to say what my husband loves most about this dinner. One of the things is the juiciness of the chicken. Roasting the chicken slowly is essential for the best flavor and texture of the chicken. So, I always start the roast at a higher temperature to get a nice color on the bird and then turn the heat down for a slow easy roast.
But then he also absolutely loves the roasted garlic! I always have crusty French bread sliced and ready to serve with this dinner. He likes to spread a little salted butter on the bread and then spread a roasted garlic clove over the butter.
As if that wasn’t enough, he raves about the tiny, roasted, red potatoes. They are tender, sweet, and have just enough salt to make your mouth water for more.
For us, this roast chicken dinner is perfect for a home date night. We love to spend time quietly chatting and sipping red wine, while eating this home style meal of roasted chicken, potatoes, and garlic.
This is a great dinner that looks like it took hours of prep time and so it is not just perfect for family, but also when good friends get together!
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Recipe
Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Garlic
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Divided
- 5 Pound Whole Roasting Chicken
- 6 Bulbs Garlic
- 6 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary, About 2 Ounces
- 2 Pounds Petite Red Potatoes
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Rainbow Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Cream Sherry
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil across the bottom of a 16” x 12” x 1” baking pan.
- Prepare the chicken for cooking by removing any giblets from the body cavity. Dry the skin and the inside of the chicken well with paper towels. Set the chicken in the center of the baking pan. Tuck the tips of the wings under the bird and insert an oven proof meat thermometer into the chicken to monitor doneness. The thermometer should be inserted into the thickest part of the breast without touching any bones.
- Using a large chef’s knife cut off the top of each bulb of garlic. Discard the tops and tuck the garlic bulbs around the chicken.
- Scatter small red potatoes around the chicken and tuck sprigs of rosemary between the chicken and the potatoes.
- Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil over the chicken, the garlic, and the potatoes.
- Sprinkle the salt and the rainbow pepper over the chicken, potatoes, and garlic.
- Place the chicken in the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F/177°C and continue to roast for another 90 minutes or until chicken reaches 160°F/71°C.
- Drizzle cream sherry over chicken, garlic, and potatoes. Continue to roast chicken about 15 minutes more, or until chicken reaches 165°F/74°C and juices run clear from the bird.
- Remove pan from oven and transfer chicken, garlic, and potatoes to a serving board or dish. Remove the baked rosemary and garnish with fresh rosemary for extra beauty, if desired.
- Each serving includes a roasted garlic bulb for each guest to enjoy, either with their potatoes and chicken or spread on a lovely piece of fresh or toasted French bread.
- Don’t forget the wine! This dish pairs deliciously with either white wine or soft tannin red wines.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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