Ina Garten Whole Perfect Roast Chicken
Ina’s version involves stuffing a whole chicken with lemon, garlic, and herbs, seasoning it generously, and roasting it with root vegetables for a complete one-pan meal. The result is a juicy, flavorful roast chicken with crisp skin and tender vegetables caramelized in pan drippings.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 80
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
-
1 (5 to 6-pound) whole roasting chicken
-
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
-
1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
-
1 lemon, halved
-
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
-
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
-
4 carrots, cut into large chunks
-
1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
-
Olive oil
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat very dry with paper towels.
Generously salt and pepper the cavity. Stuff the cavity with both halves of the lemon, garlic, and the bunch of thyme.
Brush the outside of the chicken with melted butter and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body.
In a large roasting pan, toss the onions, carrots, fennel, and 20 thyme sprigs with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them evenly in the bottom of the pan and place the chicken on top.
Roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh (internal temp 165°F at the thickest part). Stir vegetables once or twice during roasting for even browning.
Remove the chicken to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let rest for 10–15 minutes. Serve the carved chicken on a platter with the roasted vegetables and pan juices.