Roasted Whole Chicken and Vegetables

This Roasted Chicken and Vegetables is a cozy dinner that combines juicy, flavorful whole chicken with golden skin, roasted alongside your favorite root vegetables all in one pan.

This whole chicken is dry brined for extra crispy skin, rubbed with garlic herb butter, and roasted with lemon, garlic, carrots and baby potatoes. Total prep/active time to make this dish is only about 30 minutes, however, you’ll want to dry brine the chicken 24 hours in advance for most optimal flavor.

Why I Love This Roasted Chicken And Vegetables Recipe

I was so intimidated about roasting a whole chicken for the longest time. I finally gave it a try a few years ago, and honestly, it really wasn’t that bad! In fact, I truly stopped buying rotisserie chicken from the grocery stores since then. Not trying to brag, but my roasted whole chicken is so much better!

I love roasting my whole chicken with root veggies at the bottom to get both my protein and veggies all cooked at once. It’s also an easy way to get a full, well-rounded meal on the table.

There’s something about pulling a golden roasted whole chicken and vegetables out of the oven that makes any dinner feel a little more special. And yet, most of the work is pretty simple, and not as intimidating as it looks!

Chicken comes out truly moist and flavorful – we don’t approve of dry, bland chicken in our household! 😉

The secret is a simple dry brine plus a generous layer of garlic herb butter tucked right under the skin. That’s how you get a whole roasted chicken that’s seasoned all the way through, not just on the surface.

Since the chicken roasts right on top of carrots and baby potatoes, its droppings, along with the chicken stock in the pan, will cook the veggies until they are tender and flavorful. Not only that, you get your protein and vegetables all in one dish. Main and sides, done! 🙌

Start with the dry brine where the salt does its magic in the fridge, and the oven takes care of the rest. No flipping, no babysitting, no complicated techniques, no fancy equipments.

The two-temperature roast is another little trick that makes a big difference. A quick blast of high heat gets the skin going, then a lower temperature lets the meat cook through gently so it stays juicy.

If one-pan chicken dinners are your thing, you’ll also love my One-Pan Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes, Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Veggies, and Skillet Chicken and Potato.

If you prefer smaller chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken, see variation section below for more detailed instructions. Or check out my braised chicken thighs recipe!

What Is Dry Brining?

Dry brining just means salting meat ahead of time and letting it rest in the fridge before cooking. Unlike wet brine – no need to mess with buckets of salty water!

The salt first draws moisture out of the chicken, then that salty liquid gets reabsorbed back into the meat, seasoning it more deeply than a last-minute sprinkle ever could.

Leaving the chicken dry and uncovered also dries out the skin, which is exactly what helps a whole roasted chicken turn out extra crispy.

Kitchen Tools

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:

• Baking rack: Sits inside the sheet pan during the dry brine so air can circulate all around the chicken and the skin dries evenly.
• Half sheet baking pan: Holds the rack and catches any drips while the chicken rests in the fridge.
• Baking dish: Choose one large enough to hold the chicken with the carrots and potatoes spread out around it.
• Small mixing bowl: For stirring together the garlic herb butter.
• Pastry brush: Makes it easy to coat the skin evenly with oil.
• Meat thermometer: The easiest, most reliable way to know your chicken is done. No guessing and no cutting into it to check!

Ingredients

For the Dry Brine

• Whole chicken: A standard whole chicken from the grocery store works perfectly. Check the recipe card for the size, since that’s what the salt and cook time are based on. Make sure the chicken is completely thawed before brining. If a chicken is frozen, you will want to leave it in the refrigerator for ~48 hours for it to fully thaw.
• Salt: The only ingredient in the dry brine! It seasons the meat from the inside out and helps dry the skin for maximum crispiness. Salt crystal sizes vary a lot between types and brands, so if you’re using fine table salt, stay on the lighter end of the range.

For the Garlic Herb Butter

• Salted butter: Make sure it’s softened so it mixes easily and spreads under the skin without tearing it. I typically prefer salted butter but if unsalted is all you have that works just fine too!
• Garlic: Freshly minced cloves give the butter the best flavor.
• Fresh thyme: Adds an earthy, savory note that’s classic with roast chicken.
• Fresh rosemary: Brings a woodsy, piney flavor. Mince it finely so you don’t end up with big, tough bits.

For the Vegetables

• Carrots: Chop them into chunks roughly the same size as the halved potatoes so everything cooks evenly. Other root veggies work great too – add your favorite!
• Baby potatoes: Halved, they turn creamy inside and hold their shape nicely while roasting.
• Cooking oil: Any neutral oil works, like avocado or vegetable oil.
• Salt: Seasons the veggies so they’re flavorful all on their own.
• Chicken stock: Poured over the veggies so they stay tender, and it mingles with the drippings to create delicious pan juices. Low-sodium stock is a great option if you’re watching the salt.

For the Chicken

• Cooking oil: A light brush over the skin helps it brown beautifully. Use any neutral oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, vegetable oil etc.
• Lemons: Halved, with some tucked into the cavity and some nestled in with the veggies. They add a bright, fresh flavor to both. The ones nestled in the veggies can be juiced onto chicken after roasting if you like a touch of citrus on the roasted chicken.
• Garlic head: Cut in half across the middle to expose all the cloves, then stuffed into the cavity for extra aromatic flavor.
• Extra herb sprigs (optional): Any leftover thyme and rosemary sprigs can go in the cavity and around the vegetables.

How To Make Roasted Chicken And Vegetables

Step 1: Dry brine the chicken

Place a baking rack inside a sheet pan and set the whole chicken on top (don’t forget to remove the giblets if they’re tucked inside!).

Generously sprinkle salt over the chicken, including under the skin, making sure to cover every side.

Pop it in the fridge, uncovered, for 12-24 hours.

Take the chicken out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking so it can come closer to room temperature.

Check out the before and after dry brining. The difference is small but if you look closely, the chicken skin in the after shot (on the right) is dried up and thinner because the salt draws out surface moisture from the chicken skin.

Step 2: Make the garlic herb butter

In a small mixing bowl, add the softened salted butter, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Mix until everything is fully combined.

Step 3: Prep the vegetables

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

While the oven heats up, add the carrots and baby potatoes to the baking dish. Toss with cooking oil and salt.

Step 4: Butter and stuff the chicken

Gently loosen the skin with your fingers, then stuff the garlic herb butter underneath, spreading it around as best you can.

Getting it into every nook and crannies will really help flavor every part of the chicken!

Set the chicken on top of the carrots and potatoes.

Stuff two lemon halves and both garlic head halves into the cavity, along with any extra sprigs of thyme and rosemary if you have them.

Step 5: Brush with Oil Add the stock

Brush the whole chicken with a neutral oil – this will help give a nice golden brown color to the skin, and it will also help it crisp up nicely.

Pour the chicken stock over the carrots and potatoes, aiming around the chicken rather than over it so the skin stays dry.

Nestle the remaining two lemon halves in with the vegetables. You can add a few herb sprigs here too.

Step 6: Roast

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

Continue baking for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F using a meat thermometer.

To check for doneness, check the thickest part of the breast, without touching the bone.

Step 7: Rest, carve, and serve

Once fully cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes (or longer if you have time) before carving.

This gives the juices time to settle back into the meat instead of running all over your cutting board – it will also ensure chicken is juicy and tender.

Last but certainly not least, carve the whole chicken and serve it with the veggies and a spoonful of those pan juices.

Once you try this once, you’ll quickly realize that making a whole roasted chicken isn’t as intimidating as it looks! Pinky promise. <3

Variations And Substitutions

• Other veggies: Onions or other root veggies such as parsnips, turnips, radishes, sweet potatoes, or butternut squash all roast beautifully alongside the chicken. Just cut them to a similar size so everything finishes at the same time.
• Different herbs: Swap in sage or oregano, or use a mix of your favorites.
• Citrus swap: Try oranges instead of lemons for a slightly sweeter twist. Or omit it completely if you don’t have it on hand – it won’t make too much of a difference!
• Extra flavor in the butter: Stir in a little smoked paprika or lemon zest for a fun variation.
• Chicken pieces: Bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks work too. They’ll cook faster than a whole chicken, so go by your thermometer rather than the clock.

Make Ahead, Storage, And Reheating

Make ahead: The dry brine is built-in prep work, since the chicken needs to sit in the fridge anyway. You can also mix the garlic herb butter and chop the carrots a day ahead and refrigerate them. Just let the butter soften before using.

Storage: Store leftover chicken and vegetables in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Freezing: Carved chicken freezes well for up to 3 months. The potatoes can turn a bit grainy after freezing, so they’re best enjoyed fresh or from the fridge.

Reheating: Warm leftovers in a 350°F oven, covered with foil and a splash of chicken stock to keep everything moist. The microwave works in a pinch too.

How To Serve

This roasted chicken and vegetables dinner already has both your protein and veggies covered, so you really don’t need anything else. However, a batch of Gravy From Scratch and some soft Cheese Stuffed Dinner Rolls or Milk Bread Rolls can never go wrong!

Want something green on the table? Roasted Broccolini, Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts, or a fresh Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad all round out the meal nicely.

ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍

More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love

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• Lemon Butter Chicken
• Chicken Burgers
• Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie
• Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
• Slow Cooker Chicken Stew