All-In-One Roast Chicken

Name: All-In-One Roast Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 800 g red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3cm chunks, see GH TIP; 400 g carrots, peeled, halved lengthways and cut into 3cm chunks, see GH TIP; 1 large red onion, cut into 8 wedges through the root; 2 tsp. olive oil; 6 rosemary sprigs; 60 g butter, softened; 1 lemon; 1 whole chicken, about 1.6-1.8kg; 1 garlic bulb, whole and unpeeled; 250 mL hot chicken stock

Everything cooks together in one tin for this super-easy take on a Sunday roast.

By The Good Housekeeping Cookery TeamPublished: 03 February 2025

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Mike English

The buttery, lemony juices, with a generous dose of roasted garlic, form a light, flavoursome gravy without the need for any extra cooking, but if you’d prefer a thicker sauce, you can bubble the juices in a pan with a little slaked cornflour before serving.

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Yields:

4 serving(s)

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

1 hr 45 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 5 mins

Cal/Serv:

717

Ingredients

800 g
red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3cm chunks, see GH TIP
400 g
carrots, peeled, halved lengthways and cut into 3cm chunks, see GH TIP
1
large red onion, cut into 8 wedges through the root
2 tsp.
olive oil
6
rosemary sprigs
60 g
butter, softened
1
lemon
1
whole chicken, about 1.6-1.8kg
1
garlic bulb, whole and unpeeled
250 ml
hot chicken stock

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Put potatoes, carrots and onion in a large roasting tin, drizzle over the olive oil, season with salt and some freshly ground black pepper and toss to coat.
2. Step 2Finely chop the leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs (discard the stems) and add to a small bowl with the softened butter. Finely grate in the zest of the lemon (reserving the lemon), add plenty of seasoning and mix well.
3. Step 3Remove any trussing from the chicken (if present), pat chicken dry with kitchen paper and use your fingers to ease the skin gently away from the breast. Work ⅓ of the butter mixture under the skin and over the breast meat, then rub the rest all over the outside of the bird. Cut the zested lemon in ½, squeeze the juice over the vegetables in the tin and put the squeezed halves into the cavity of the chicken. Place the chicken in the middle of the roasting tin (pushing veg to the sides) and tuck in the remaining rosemary sprigs and the garlic bulb. Pour 100ml water into the bottom of the tin and tightly cover with foil.
4. Step 4Roast for 1hr, then remove foil and turn vegetables, basting everything with the buttery juices. Return to oven, uncovered, for another 45min, or until vegetables and chicken are cooked through (a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast should read at least 72°C). Remove chicken to a plate or board and use a slotted spoon to remove veg to a serving dish. Cover both and leave to rest in a warm place while you prepare the gravy.
5. Step 5Slice the top off the garlic bulb and squeeze the cloves into the roasting tin. Mash with a fork, mixing with the juices, then gradually whisk in the hot stock. Check seasoning and serve with the chicken and vegetables.

GET AHEAD
Prepare to end of step 3 up to a day ahead; chill. To serve, bring roasting tin with veg and chicken to room temperature for 30min, then complete recipe, allowing an extra 10-15min cooking time, if needed.

GH TIP
It’s important that the potatoes and carrots are at room temperature before you start, otherwise they’ll take longer to cook than the chicken.