There is something deeply satisfying about a meal that comes together in one roasting tin, filling the kitchen with an aroma that promises pure comfort and flavour. This roasted chicken and vegetables recipe is the epitome of that feeling. It’s a wholesome, hearty dish where the chicken becomes golden and succulent, its skin impossibly crisp, while the vegetables underneath soften and caramelise in the savoury juices. It’s the kind of cooking I turn to when I want to create something truly nourishing without spending hours at the stove.

I make this at least once a week – it’s become a family favourite. The magic lies in its simplicity and the quality of the ingredients. A good, free-range chicken, fresh root vegetables, and a handful of aromatic herbs are all you need. The lemon and garlic stuffed inside the chicken create a self-basting system, ensuring the meat is wonderfully moist and infused with flavour from the inside out. The potatoes become fluffy, the carrots sweet, and the onions melt into a jammy softness.

This is a dish that works beautifully for a relaxed Sunday lunch with family, but it’s also straightforward enough for a special weeknight dinner. It’s a complete meal in one pan, which means less time washing up and more time enjoying the food and the company. If you enjoy this, you might also like my take on a classic Lemon Garlic Chicken, which shares a similar flavour profile.

Recipe Overview

This roasted chicken and vegetables recipe is all about developing deep, rustic flavours. The chicken is the star, with herbs and lemon creating a fragrant, juicy result. The vegetables roast alongside, absorbing all the delicious pan juices, making them almost as good as the chicken itself. After testing this recipe five times, I finally got the herb-to-garlic ratio just right for the most fragrant result without overwhelming the delicate taste of the chicken.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love This Roasted Chicken And Vegetables Recipe

• Genuine Flavour: The earthy notes of rosemary and thyme pair beautifully with zesty lemon and pungent garlic, infusing both the chicken and the vegetables. The chicken skin gets beautifully crisp, while the meat remains tender and moist.
• A One-Pan Wonder: Everything cooks together in a single roasting tin. This method ensures maximum flavour mingling and, best of all, minimal washing up.
• Flexible Recipe: This recipe is incredibly adaptable. You can swap the carrots for parsnips in winter, add chunks of butternut squash in autumn, or toss in some courgette for the last 20 minutes of cooking in the summer.
• Great for Sunday Lunch: It has all the elements of a traditional Sunday roast but is much less work. It feels special without being complicated, making it ideal for gathering family around the table.
• Family Tested: This is a meal that everyone in my house genuinely gets excited about. My youngest, who usually avoids carrots, will happily eat all the sweet, caramelised ones from the pan.

Roasted Chicken And Vegetables Recipe

⏱️ 20 min prep  •  🍳 75 min cook  •  👥 4 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For a recipe this straightforward, using good-quality ingredients makes all the difference. I always opt for a free-range chicken, as I find the flavour and texture are superior. A good, robust olive oil is also key for getting everything golden and delicious.

• 1 medium whole chicken (approx. 1.5kg)
• 900g Maris Piper potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 4-5cm chunks
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 whole bulb of garlic, cloves separated but unpeeled
• 1 large lemon
• 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Sara’s Tip: I always use Maris Piper potatoes for this – they have a floury texture that becomes wonderfully fluffy on the inside while the edges get nice and crisp in the chicken fat. King Edwards are another great option.

How to Make Roasted Chicken And Vegetables

The process is simple and rewarding. The key is to get everything into the oven in the right order to ensure the chicken is perfectly cooked and the vegetables are tender and slightly charred at the edges.

1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Find a large roasting tin that will comfortably fit the chicken and vegetables without being too crowded.
2. Prepare the Vegetables: Add the chopped potatoes, carrots, and red onion wedges to the roasting tin. Scatter over the unpeeled garlic cloves. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, half the salt and pepper, and toss well to coat. Strip the leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary and 3 sprigs of thyme and sprinkle them over the veg.
3. Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken skin completely dry with kitchen paper – this is crucial for a crispy finish. Prick the lemon all over with a fork about 10-15 times. Place the whole lemon, the remaining rosemary, and thyme sprigs inside the chicken cavity.
4. Season the Chicken: Rub the remaining tablespoon of olive oil all over the chicken skin. Season generously with the rest of the salt and pepper.
5. Arrange in the Tin: Place the prepared chicken on top of the vegetables in the centre of the roasting tin.
6. First Roast: Place the tin in the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes at the higher temperature. This initial blast of heat helps to get the skin crisping up.
7. Second Roast: After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (160°C fan). Continue to roast for another 50-55 minutes. What works best for me is to baste the chicken with the pan juices at this point to keep it lovely and moist.
8. Check for Doneness: The chicken is cooked when the juices run clear if you pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer. For complete accuracy, a meat thermometer should read at least 74°C. The Food Standards Agency has great guidance on this.
9. Rest the Chicken: This step is vital! Carefully lift the chicken out of the tin and place it on a carving board. Cover loosely with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to settle, ensuring the meat is succulent. While it rests, you can return the vegetables to the oven to brown a little more if needed.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Temperature Control is Key: Starting the roast at a high temperature and then reducing it gives you the best of both worlds: crispy, golden-brown skin and perfectly cooked, tender meat.
• The Secret to Crispy Skin: I learned that patting the chicken skin completely dry with kitchen paper is the non-negotiable step for getting that shatteringly crisp result we all love. Any moisture will create steam and prevent browning.
• Make-Ahead Prep: To get ahead, you can peel and chop all your vegetables the morning of, or even the night before. Store them in a bowl of cold water in the fridge (drain and dry thoroughly before roasting) to save time.
• Storing Leftovers: Any leftover chicken and vegetables can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s delicious cold in salads or sandwiches the next day.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcrowding the pan: If you pack the vegetables in too tightly, they will steam instead of roast. This prevents them from caramelising and getting those lovely crispy edges. If your tin is too small, it’s better to use two.
• Cooking at the Wrong Temperature: Roasting at too low a temperature from the start can result in pale, rubbery skin. Conversely, if it’s too high for the entire duration, the skin may burn before the chicken is cooked through.
• Skipping the Rest Time: It’s tempting to carve straight away, but resting is essential. It allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, which is the difference between a dry chicken and a wonderfully Juicy Chicken Recipe.

What to Serve With Roasted Chicken And Vegetables

This is a fantastic one-pan meal, but if you want to add a little something extra, here are a few ideas that work beautifully:

• Steamed Green Beans: A side of simple, steamed green beans or tenderstem broccoli adds a lovely bit of fresh, green crunch.
• Crusty Bread: A warm, crusty baguette is ideal for mopping up every last drop of the incredible pan juices.
• Wine Pairing: A crisp, dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc cuts through the richness beautifully. For red wine drinkers, a light-bodied Pinot Noir is an excellent match.

Frequently Asked Questions

Roasted Chicken And Vegetables Recipe

A classic one-pan meal featuring a succulent, herb-infused whole roasted chicken with perfectly caramelized root vegetables. An easy and impressive dish perfect for a Sunday dinner.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 780

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 medium whole chicken approx. 1.5kg
• 900 g Maris Piper potatoes scrubbed and cut into 4-5cm chunks
• 4 large carrots peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 red onions peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 whole bulb of garlic cloves separated but unpeeled
• 1 large lemon
• 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

 

1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Find a large roasting tin that will comfortably fit the chicken and vegetables without being too crowded.
2. Prepare the Vegetables: Add the chopped potatoes, carrots, and red onion wedges to the roasting tin. Scatter over the unpeeled garlic cloves. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, half the salt and pepper, and toss well to coat. Strip the leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary and 3 sprigs of thyme and sprinkle them over the veg.
3. Prepare the Chicken: Pat the chicken skin completely dry with kitchen paper – this is crucial for a crispy finish. Prick the lemon all over with a fork about 10-15 times. Place the whole lemon, the remaining rosemary, and thyme sprigs inside the chicken cavity.
4. Season the Chicken: Rub the remaining tablespoon of olive oil all over the chicken skin. Season generously with the rest of the salt and pepper.
5. Arrange in the Tin: Place the prepared chicken on top of the vegetables in the centre of the roasting tin.
6. First Roast: Place the tin in the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes at the higher temperature. This initial blast of heat helps to get the skin crisping up.
7. Second Roast: After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (160°C fan). Continue to roast for another 50-55 minutes. What works best for me is to baste the chicken with the pan juices at this point to keep it lovely and moist.
8. Check for Doneness: The chicken is cooked when the juices run clear if you pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer. For complete accuracy, a meat thermometer should read at least 74°C. The Food Standards Agency has great guidance on this.
9. Rest the Chicken: This step is vital! Carefully lift the chicken out of the tin and place it on a carving board. Cover loosely with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to settle, ensuring the meat is succulent. While it rests, you can return the vegetables to the oven to brown a little more if needed.

Notes

Letting the chicken rest is crucial for juicy, tender meat. Use the 15-minute resting time to return the vegetables to the oven to brown further if desired.

I hope you love this roasted chicken and vegetables recipe as much as my family and I do. It’s a reliable, satisfying meal that brings so much warmth and flavour to the table with minimal fuss. If you’re looking for more inspiration, you can browse my other Healthy Chicken Recipes. Please let me know how you get on in the comments below – I love hearing about your kitchen adventures! Happy cooking, Sara.