Soak | Roast Chicken, Potatoes & Garlic
As I sit here typing, the windows have darkened over and the swollen clouds in the sky are releasing another strong downpour. The earth is soaked from a winter of rain, but this last week has been particularly stormy, and it almost seems as if there is no end in sight.
I continue to gravitate toward dishes that can be prepared in the oven, hearty meals that promise crispy skin, succulent meat, and fork-tender potatoes.
The simple genius behind the roast chicken is that you can create an amazing meal with just a handful of ingredients and minimal preparation. As I buttered the bird and salt and peppered its dimply skin, I thought of the Parisian farmer’s markets, where the towers of rotisserie chickens dripped juices onto the potatoes roasting below. At that moment, I began to peel my potatoes and tossed them into the roasting pan along with whole garlic cloves to let them roast and absorb the chicken-y flavors. As the oven worked its magic, I could smell the chicken soaking into the potatoes and the sweet garlic popping out of its blistering skin.
All I needed now was a simple salad. With a meal like this, I was happy to let the rain pour.
[note title="Roast Chicken, Potatoes & Garlic " align="left" width="625"] Serves 4-6
- 1 5- to 6-lb chicken
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- kosher salt freshly ground black pepper
- aromatics for the cavity
- half a lemon
- half an onion, quartered
- garlic cloves, peeled
- (Use whatever you have on hand. Fresh herbs work nicely, too.)
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
- 1 head of garlic, cloves separated
- flat leaf Italian parsley, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Allow the chicken to rest at room temperature for a half hour prior to baking.
Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Insert aromatics into the cavity and tie the drumsticks with kitchen twine. Bend the wings back and tuck under the bird. Using a pastry brush, butter the skin evenly and thoroughly. Season the skin generously with salt and pepper.
In a large roasting pan, toss the potatoes and garlic cloves in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes around the chicken, creating a nest around the bird.
Roast in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature of the chicken breast is 170°F. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before carving. [/note]
What a perfect meal to enjoy during this super rainy weather we have been having. We basically hybernated this weekend, which was so nice. Your chicken and potatoes look divine and I bet the entire family enjoyed every bite. Stay dry this week! :-)
I LOVE rainstorms like that and this chicken looks perfect. Roast chicken is one of those that is so versatile!
That is simply a perfect roast chicken! It makes me long for a cool, rainy day and the aromas of this dish wafting from the oven… 8-D
If I ate meat, this would be my dish. Simple, elegant, succulent. This is how I roll ;-)
Liren replied: — March 22nd, 2011 @ 5:28 pm
I could totally see you eating this…if you ate meat. It’s just your style :)
Liren, this is such a perfect meal. I think I serve something similar almost every week. I also stuff the cavity with onion and lemon; the preparation seems incomplete otherwise. And of course, you have to add the potatoes and garlic, right? Have to have something to soak up all the chicken juices. Of course you’d post this on the weekend that I didn’t prepare it. Wishing I could reach into the screen and peel off that crispy skin for my immediate enjoyment. :-)
Liren replied: — March 22nd, 2011 @ 5:27 pm
I swear, Jean, I think you’re my tummy twin.
I can almost smell this cooking! So simple, but delicious to be sure!
Roast chicken with the addition of potatoes and garlic is such an easy and elegant way to a perfect meal. The rain finally made it down to SoCal so now planning on making this tomorrow.
I remember those rotisserie chickens with the potatoes roasting below, they are practically on every corner and at every farmer’s market. It’s such a staple of French home cooking as well, nothing fancy but just good comforting food.
Liren replied: — March 22nd, 2011 @ 5:26 pm
That is what I love about this – good, comforting food doesn’t have to be fancy :)
Looks wonderful, Liren. So golden and plump — what the perfect bird should look like! :-p You’ve got me in the mood to roast a chicken this week. Yum!
Roast chicken smells so good when cooking in the oven, especially with all of that garlic. We made one a couple of weeks ago, and it was was wonderful, plus you have all of those leftovers.
Liren replied: — March 22nd, 2011 @ 5:26 pm
The leftovers are the best part…and the chicken stock from the carcass!
What a wonderful way to tell a story and share a recipe. Thank you for the writing and the beautiful recipe.
I think we had about 9 snow storms in two month and now we are getting tons of rain. Send me your chicken…pls.
Liren replied: — March 22nd, 2011 @ 5:25 pm
I often complain about the rain here but that pales in comparison to all the snow you guys had this winter. I will have to send you some chicken, stat.
Just READING your post makes my moth water, and the looking at the photos makes me ravenously hungry. Roasted chicken is the smell and taste of home and love to me. Love it!
Liren replied: — March 22nd, 2011 @ 5:24 pm
So, true – the smell of it is absolutely the taste of home and love :)
Such comfort roast chicken and potatoes can bring. Yours is SO perfect.
I want this! I’ve never roasted a chicken… will have to add it to my list :)
Liren replied: — March 22nd, 2011 @ 5:24 pm
Oh, I hope you do roast a chicken soon – it’s so easy and the best thing ever!
yummy looking roast chicken colourful
Absolutely beautiful! That skin is perfect!
Liren: I can taste and smell this juicy, succulent bird right through the screen. What a gorgeous meal that can be enjoyed any time of the year, but even more especially while it’s stormin these days. I grew up with my Mom making roasted chickens at least once a week and then doing creative things with the leftovers, like soups, chicken enchiladas or tacos. I am very hungry now…great post!
Liren replied: — March 22nd, 2011 @ 5:30 pm
I must say, the leftovers from a chicken are absolutely the best part! I made a soup the next day :)
The photos are wonderful, but I love stuffing too much to stuff the cavity with things that aren’t going to be eaten. All that lovely inner chicken juice has got to go somewhere. Do eat the aromatics when you are done?
Liren replied: — March 22nd, 2011 @ 5:29 pm
Hi Genie, no I do not eat the aromatics when done, however some might make it into the stock pot when I make chicken stock with the carcass. I do love stuffing, too, but doing it this way shaves off time during the week :)
Congratulations on Top 9! This looks wonderful! The photos are so beautiful that I’m sure everyone wants to cook this. :-)
Ah yes, the ultimate comfort food; roasted chicken… Looks delicious!
we have had our share of rain too, I am ready for spring and better weather!
That chicken looks wonderful, to me a roasted chicken is comfort food, and of course there has to be potatoes!!
Congrats on your top 9 spot today!
Dennis
Mmmmmmm, it looks so tasty, great shiny chicken :)
Nothing like a roasted bird! Congrats on your top 9!
This looks wonderful! I love the versatility of roast chicken, thanks for sharing! :)
Perfect weather for a TOP 9 chicken! GREG
It’s been stormy down here, too! That gorgeous bird is a 10! Congrats on the Top 9 :)
A beautiful spring chicken! “Roast chicken” should be a color because I would love to paint a room this color.
Liren replied: — March 22nd, 2011 @ 4:55 pm
Love this idea! I could just see beautiful palettes that would compliment “roast chicken.”
What a gorgeous chicken! Can chicken be gorgeous?? In this case it is extraordinarily tempting. Nicely done!
Aaah just catching up on everyone’s posts — I am loving this roast chicken recipe. It’s always so comforting and the smells from the oven as its cooking makes your mouth water before it hits the table. Beautiful recipe!
What a lovely roasted chicken, Liren. On a really rainy winter day, it’s even lovelier because of the comfort it brings. Thank you for the inspiration. We have a whole chicken thawing in the fridge. I’ll be roasting it tomorrow for dinner.
What a gorgeous meal! Starting Spring off with rain just makes comfort dishes more pleasing :)
YUM! I believe this will be on my dinner table Sunday night! Did you put the potatoes and chicken on a rack in your roasting pan or did you let them sit right in the pan?
Liren replied: — April 8th, 2011 @ 6:09 pm
Hi Jess! I put the potatoes and chicken directly in the roasting pan, no rack! That way the potatoes soak up all the goodness :) Let me know how you like it!
Wow this looks scrumptious! I am making a chicken tonight, and I’ll be using some tips from your recipe!
I made this recipe and reviewed it here: http://misslyndaj.blogspot.com/2011/12/roast-chicken-potatoes-and-garlic.html
Happy Eating!
I’m a french woman, looking for a rost chicken recipe on Tastespotting.com and by chance, i choose yor simple recipe. So, you have to know that a french parisian family will eat your chicken in 50 minutes. It is a cool spring evening, the weather is blue and the kitchen smell good. Merci :-)
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