Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
We like to cook this all on one sheet pan because it’s easy and there’s less cleanup. If you want to feed more people, you can roast two chickens on one sheet pan, and roast the vegetables separately.
kitchen gear
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife (adult needed)
- Large bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Large rimmed baking sheet
- Measuring spoons
- Meat thermometer (if you have one)
- Pot holders
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, peeled and diced
- 3 carrots, scrubbed and cut into chunks
- 1 large sweet potato, scrubbed or peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 turnip, scrubbed or peeled and cut into chunks or 12 Brussels sprouts, quartered
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 3 to 4-pound whole chicken
- 1 lemon, cut in quarters
Instructions
- Turn the oven on and set the heat to 450 degrees.
- Put the vegetables, oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in the bowl and mix well.
- Dump the vegetables onto the baking sheet, making sure to spread them in a single layer. Push some out from the middle to make a spot for the chicken.
- Take the chicken out of its package. Remove the giblets and neck from the chicken cavity. (They might be in a little pouch, and, yes, this step can be kind of gross). Unless there’s someone at home who wants to use them, throw them away.
- Put the chicken breast-side up on the baking sheet and rub it with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Put the lemon quarters in the cavities, which are the openings in the front and back of the chicken. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw chicken!
- Once the oven temperature has reached 450 degrees, put the chicken and vegetables in the oven for 1 hour.
- Carefully take the baking sheet out of the oven to test the chicken for doneness. When the chicken is done, the vegetables should be tender and browned; some of them may be quite dark at the edges, and that’s fine too.
- Move the chicken to the cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes before asking your adult to help carve it. Serve with the vegetables.
Notes
TO TEST A CHICKEN FOR DONENESS
If you are using a meat thermometer, stick the sharp part deep into the inner thigh: the chicken is done when the thermometer reads 165 degrees. If you do not have a meat thermometer, you can tell when the chicken is done with one of these tests: Poke the thigh with a sharp knife and look at the juice that runs out; it should be clear, not pink. Or, wiggle the leg, which should move easily. If it’s not done yet, put the chicken back in the oven and test it again after 15 minutes (ask your adult for help).
GET CREATIVE
• Make it Italian: Add 1 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried) and 2 chopped garlic cloves to the cavity before roasting.
• Make it Fruity: Use a cut-up orange or apple to fill the cavity, instead of, or in addition to, the lemon.
• Make it Herby: Add 1 tablespoon fresh herbs or 2 teaspoons dried (thyme, rosemary, parsley, marjoram, and/or sage) to the cavity before roasting. DID YOU KNOW? The technical name for the wishbone is the furcula, which means “little fork” in Latin. It’s formed by the joining of the two clavicles (collarbones) and helps make the bird’s skeleton strong enough for flying.
• Make it Fruity: Use a cut-up orange or apple to fill the cavity, instead of, or in addition to, the lemon.
• Make it Herby: Add 1 tablespoon fresh herbs or 2 teaspoons dried (thyme, rosemary, parsley, marjoram, and/or sage) to the cavity before roasting. DID YOU KNOW? The technical name for the wishbone is the furcula, which means “little fork” in Latin. It’s formed by the joining of the two clavicles (collarbones) and helps make the bird’s skeleton strong enough for flying.