Description
This crispy whole chicken and vegetable recipe is damn near foolproof, provided you follow the directions (which are super simple) and heed the tips below. And it’s super clean and healthy: Paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, sugar-free and keto.
Ingredients
- 1 whole roaster chicken, giblets removed
- 2 lbs of chopped vegetables (I like to use a mix of onion, mushrooms, baby carrots, and parsnips)
- 4 – 6 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- lemon pepper
- smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425* F
- In a large 13 x 9 baking dish, combine chopped vegetables and smashed garlic. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place chicken, breast side up, ON TOP of the vegetables in the baking pan.
- Drizzle olive oil over chicken and rub into skin, thoroughly coating
- Generously sprinkle salt, lemon pepper and paprika over entire surface of chicken
- Place chicken into oven and bake for 30 minutes
- After 30 minutes, turn oven temp down to 400 F. Continue to cook until the internal temp of the chicken reaches 165* (check it at 35 and 45 minutes.)
- Once desired temp is reached remove from oven and cover loosely for 10 minutes
- Carve and enjoy.
Notes
Don’t be afraid to generously season the chicken before cooking.
Place the chicken directly on top of the vegetables; the chicken juices and deliciousness will seep right into them … and that’s a good thing!
I used a mixture of baby potatoes (the really tiny ones), onion, multi-color baby carrots, parsnips and baby bella mushrooms. But feel free to to use whatever sturdy vegetables you like. Just choose ones that can hold up to an hour in the oven. And, if you use larger potatoes, cut them in pieces. 
If you want the chicken skin to get really crispy, use your finger to loosen the skin from the rest of the chicken. This ensures a little bit of breathing room from the moisture of the skin and helps is crisp up.
Use a meat thermometer to confirm when it’s done cooking. Don’t guess. When the internal temperature of the chicken hits 165 degrees F, it’s done. Take it out of the oven as it will continue to cook while it cools down.
Before you carve, let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes after you take it out of the oven.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: recipe
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: American