Discover the ultimate weeknight hero: a perfectly cooked, succulent Classic Roast Chicken, accompanied by delectable mustardy potatoes, all prepared on a single sheet pan. This comforting and impressively flavorful meal is designed for ease and efficiency, streamlining your dinner routine without compromising on taste. Forget endless pots and pans; this Sheet Pan Chicken Recipe masterfully brings your main course and side dish together, creating a harmonious feast that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but only took minutes of active prep. It’s the ideal solution for busy weeknights, special family gatherings, or whenever you crave a hearty, home-cooked meal with minimal fuss.
Why This Classic Roast Chicken Recipe Will Become Your Go-To
There are countless reasons to add this outstanding Classic Roast Chicken with Mustard Potatoes to your regular meal rotation. Its simplicity and incredible flavor make it a standout choice for any home cook looking to create impressive dishes with minimal effort.
- Effortless One-Pan Wonder: Experience the magic of a sheet pan dinner where your tender chicken and perfectly roasted potatoes cook simultaneously on a single pan. This significantly reduces prep time, active cooking, and, most importantly, cleanup, giving you more time to enjoy your meal and relax.
- Unforgettable Flavor Profile: The chicken boasts incredibly crispy, seasoned skin and incredibly juicy, succulent meat, infused with aromatic herbs and garlic. Paired with the tangy, savory mustard-coated potatoes, every bite is a delightful burst of comfort and flavor that will tantalize your taste buds.
- Chef-Approved Excellence: This exceptional recipe comes from Molly Gilbert, a distinguished graduate of the French Culinary Institute, a celebrated food blogger, and a former recipe tester for Saveur magazine. Her expertise ensures a foolproof method and a gourmet result that tastes professionally made.
- Versatile & Economical: A whole roasted chicken provides generous servings, often leaving delicious leftovers. Shredded roast chicken is incredibly versatile, transforming into tacos, sandwiches, salads, or soups, making this meal both delicious and budget-friendly.
- Minimal Active Time: Beyond a bit of initial prep, this recipe is largely hands-off. Once it’s in the oven, you’re free to attend to other tasks, making it perfect for busy evenings when you want a home-cooked meal without being tethered to the stove.
Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Roast Chicken
Crafting an exceptional roast chicken dinner starts with selecting quality ingredients. Each component plays a vital role in building the layered flavors and textures of this exquisite dish. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need to create this culinary masterpiece:
- The Star: Roasting Chicken – Choose a whole chicken, ideally between 3-5 pounds, for optimal roasting. Look for chickens without any visible tears in the skin. A fresh, high-quality bird is key to a moist and flavorful result.
- Golden Globes: New Potatoes (or Creamers) – These small, waxy potatoes hold their shape beautifully and develop a delightful creamy interior and crispy exterior when roasted. If they are larger, simply cut them in half to ensure even cooking alongside the chicken.
- Aromatic Foundation: Yellow Onions – Cut into large, substantial chunks, yellow onions sweeten and caramelize beautifully during roasting, adding depth and a lovely sweetness to the overall dish. They also help to prop up the chicken, allowing for better air circulation.
- The Zesty Kick: Whole Grain Dijon Mustard – Unlike smooth Dijon, whole grain mustard adds a wonderful texture and a robust, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor that beautifully complements both the chicken and the potatoes. It creates a delicious crust on the potatoes and a flavorful dimension.
- Fresh Herbs for Fragrance: Rosemary and Thyme – Fresh herbs are non-negotiable for this recipe. Their aromatic oils infuse the chicken from the inside out and flavor the potatoes. You’ll use both finely chopped leaves for the potatoes and sprigs for stuffing the chicken cavity.
- Subtle Spice: Bay Leaf – A single bay leaf tucked inside the chicken cavity contributes a subtle, herbaceous, and slightly floral note that enhances the overall aroma of the roast.
- Flavor Boosters: Garlic Cloves – Whole garlic cloves stuffed inside the chicken cavity slowly roast and soften, releasing their sweet, pungent aroma and flavor into the meat, creating a truly irresistible poultry dish.
- Pantry Essentials: Olive Oil, Butter, Kosher Salt, Freshly Ground Black Pepper – Good quality extra virgin olive oil for coating the potatoes, room temperature unsalted butter (though salted butter works too, just adjust added salt) for rubbing the chicken skin for ultimate crispiness, and plenty of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper are crucial for seasoning every element perfectly.
- Brightening Touch: Lemon – A fresh lemon is used for its juice to toss with the potatoes, adding a bright, acidic counterpoint, and its squeezed halves are used to stuff the chicken, infusing it with citrusy aroma as it roasts.
Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Easy Sheet Pan Roast Chicken
Transforming a simple chicken into a show-stopping meal has never been easier. If roast chicken isn’t a frequent guest on your dinner menu, prepare to be amazed by this straightforward and incredibly rewarding recipe. The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity and the depth of flavor achieved with minimal effort. Plus, any leftover chicken can be shredded and repurposed for countless other delicious entrees, making it incredibly versatile. Consider roasting two chickens if you have a larger family or love having cooked chicken on hand for meal prep!
- Prepare for Perfection: Begin by preheating your oven to 425°F (220°C) with the rack positioned in the center, ensuring even heat distribution. Next, prepare your potatoes and onions by cutting them as specified. Halve a fresh lemon and squeeze its juice into a bowl, carefully removing any seeds. Set the squeezed lemon halves aside; they will be used later.
- Flavorful Foundation for Vegetables: In a large bowl, combine the cut onions and potatoes. Drizzle them generously with the fresh lemon juice, whole-grain Dijon mustard, and extra virgin olive oil. Add the finely chopped fresh rosemary and thyme, along with a half teaspoon each of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated. Spread this mixture in a single, even layer on a large, rimmed sheet pan. This ensures maximum contact with the hot pan, promoting browning and crispiness. Set the pan aside while you prepare the chicken.
- Chicken Preparation Mastery: Carefully remove the chicken from its packaging. Check the cavity for any giblets (often in a small bag) and discard them. Using a sharp knife, trim any excess fat around the cavity. This helps prevent smoke and ensures a cleaner roast. Pat the entire chicken, both inside and out, thoroughly dry with paper towels. This crucial step is key to achieving a wonderfully crispy skin. Liberally season the chicken cavity and exterior with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Aromatic Stuffing for Deep Flavor: Take the reserved squeezed lemon halves, the sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme, the bay leaf, and the garlic cloves. Stuff these aromatic ingredients into the chicken cavity. As the chicken roasts, these elements will infuse the meat with incredible fragrance and flavor.
- Butter Rub for Golden Skin: Take the softened unsalted butter and generously rub it all over the chicken skin. This not only promotes a beautiful golden-brown color but also helps create that irresistible crispy skin. After rubbing with butter, sprinkle the skin once more with another half teaspoon each of salt and pepper for enhanced seasoning.
- Assemble and Roast: Carefully place the prepared chicken, breast-side up, directly on top of the seasoned potatoes and onions on your sheet pan. For a neater presentation and more even cooking, tie the chicken legs together tightly with butcher’s twine. Tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken to prevent them from burning.
- Bake to Perfection: Transfer the sheet pan to your preheated oven. Roast for approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding the bone) registers at least 165°F (74°C). The juices should run clear when you pierce the thigh. The chicken skin should be golden brown and crispy, and the potatoes tender and caramelized. If your potatoes appear to be browning too quickly, you can remove them with a spatula and set them aside for the last 15-20 minutes of roasting.
- The Crucial Resting Period: Once cooked, carefully remove the sheet pan from the oven. Tent the chicken loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before carving. This resting period is vital; it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in an incredibly moist and tender chicken.
- Serve and Savor: Carve the perfectly roasted chicken into pieces and serve immediately with the flavorful roasted onions and mustard potatoes. For a complete and elegant meal, simply toss a quick green salad with a light vinaigrette. Your family and guests will be convinced you toiled all day to create this spectacular, deeply satisfying dinner.
Expert Tips for the Juiciest Roast Chicken & Crispiest Potatoes
Achieving a truly spectacular homemade roast chicken and perfectly cooked potatoes is easy with a few expert tricks. These tips will help you elevate your sheet pan dinner from good to absolutely outstanding, ensuring every bite is moist, crispy, and bursting with flavor.
- The Art of Pre-Salting: For deeply seasoned and incredibly juicy chicken, consider pre-salting. The night before you plan to roast, place the chicken on a rack over a rimmed sheet pan and season it liberally with kosher salt. Refrigerate uncovered overnight. The salt draws out moisture, then reabsorbs it, essentially brining the chicken from the inside out and enhancing flavor and tenderness far beyond a quick pre-roast seasoning.
- The Indispensable Resting Period: As soon as your chicken comes out of the oven, cover it loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes before carving. This is a non-negotiable step! Resting allows the muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb the juices that have migrated to the center during cooking, ensuring every slice is wonderfully moist. Note that the internal temperature will continue to rise by about 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit during this time, so you can safely pull the chicken from the oven when it reaches 155-160°F (68-71°C) in the thickest part of the thigh.
- PRO-Tip: Temperature is Your Guide: To guarantee your chicken is perfectly cooked and safe to eat, invest in a reliable instant-read meat thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the chicken breast and thigh, avoiding the bone. The chicken is fully cooked and safe when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) after resting. Monitoring the temperature prevents both undercooking and, more commonly, overcooking, which can lead to dry chicken. Salmonella bacteria are killed at 165°F.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: For truly crispy potatoes and well-roasted chicken, ensure there’s enough space on your sheet pan. Overcrowding traps steam, preventing proper browning and resulting in soggy vegetables. If necessary, use two sheet pans to give everything enough room to roast properly.
- Enhance with Additional Vegetables: This recipe is wonderfully adaptable! Feel free to add other root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, or even Brussels sprouts to the sheet pan. Keep in mind that denser vegetables may cook at different rates. For carrots, for example, you might add them after the chicken has been roasting for about 20-30 minutes, allowing them to absorb delicious chicken drippings as they finish cooking.
- Utilize Those Flavorful Pan Drippings: Don’t let those golden-brown bits and savory juices at the bottom of the pan go to waste! These drippings are packed with incredible flavor. You can easily deglaze the pan with a splash of wine or chicken broth to create a quick, rustic pan sauce to serve alongside your chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions About Roasting Chicken
No, this practice is strongly discouraged and not recommended by health organizations like the CDC. Washing chicken can inadvertently spread germs and bacteria (like Salmonella and Campylobacter) from the raw chicken to other food preparation surfaces, utensils, and even clean dishes in your kitchen through splashing water. It’s much safer to pat the chicken dry with paper towels, which you can then immediately discard.
When selecting a whole chicken for roasting, always check the “use by” or “best by” date on the packaging to ensure freshness. Look for a chicken that appears plump and has an intact, undamaged skin, which will crisp up beautifully. Consider the size based on your family’s needs: a 3-pound chicken will typically feed 2-3 adults, while a 5-pound chicken can comfortably serve 4-5 adults, depending on appetites. Opt for free-range or organic chickens if your budget allows, as they often have superior flavor and texture.
Yes, it is beneficial to bring your chicken out of the refrigerator approximately 30 minutes to an hour before you plan to put it in the oven. Allowing the chicken to come closer to room temperature helps it to roast more evenly throughout the cooking process. A cold chicken placed directly into a hot oven may cook unevenly, potentially resulting in an overcooked exterior and an undercooked interior.
While it’s best to roast the chicken just before serving for optimal juiciness and crispy skin, you can do some prep work in advance. You can chop the potatoes and onions and toss them with the mustard and herbs a few hours before roasting, storing them in the refrigerator. For an even more flavorful chicken, pre-salt it the night before as described in the “Expert Tips” section. This makes assembling on the day of cooking much quicker.
Leftover roast chicken is a culinary gift! Once the chicken has cooled, shred the meat from the bones and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Use it in quick weeknight meals like chicken tacos, quesadillas, chicken salad sandwiches, or as a protein boost for green salads. The bones and carcass can also be used to make a flavorful homemade chicken stock.
Explore More Delicious Chicken Recipes:
If you’re a fan of the versatility and deliciousness of chicken, you’ll love exploring these other fantastic recipes. From quick weeknight stir-fries to impressive baked dishes, there’s something here to satisfy every craving.
- Street Chicken Tacos from A Daily Dish of Life for a vibrant and flavorful meal.
- Sheet Pan Chicken with Roasted Fall Vegetables for another convenient and seasonal one-pan dinner.
- Chicken, Broccoli and Peppers Stir Fry for a fast and fresh weeknight favorite.
- Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu for an elegant and comforting classic.
- Plus, explore even more of the Best Chicken Recipes to expand your culinary repertoire.
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Classic Roast Chicken with Mustard Potatoes
20 minutes
1 hour
1 hour 20 minutes
4 servings
This classic roast chicken recipe, from renowned cookbook author Molly Gilbert, offers an easy yet impressive solution for any meal. Perfect for a busy weeknight or elegant enough for company, this recipe ensures both the tender chicken and savory mustard potatoes are roasted to perfection on a single sheet pan.
Average Rating: 5 stars (22 reviews)
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 2 yellow onions, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 pounds baby potatoes (also called new potatoes or creamers), halved (or left whole if really tiny)
- 1/4 cup whole-grain Dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus 2 sprigs
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus 4 sprigs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 roasting chicken
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 or 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF (220°C) with a rack in the center position.
- Cut the lemon in half widthwise and squeeze the juice into a small bowl; remove any seeds. Set the squeezed halves aside.
- Place the onions and potatoes in a large bowl and add the lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, chopped rosemary, chopped thyme and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables in an even layer on a large, rimmed sheet pan. Set aside.
- If there’s a little goody bag of giblets inside the chicken cavity, remove and discard it. Use a sharp knife to trim the chicken of any excess fat in and around the cavity. Pat the skin thoroughly dry with paper towels. Liberally salt and pepper the chicken both inside and out.
- Stuff the cavity with the reserved lemon halves, the sprigs of rosemary and thyme, the bay leaf and the garlic cloves.
- Rub the softened butter onto the chicken skin, ensuring full coverage. Sprinkle the skin again with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper for a perfect crust.
- Place the chicken, breast side up, on top of the seasoned potatoes and onions on the sheet pan. Tie the legs together tightly with butcher’s twine and tuck the wings under the body of the chicken to prevent burning.
- Roast the chicken and potatoes until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers at least 155-160ºF (68-71°C) and the juices run clear when pierced. If the potatoes begin to over-brown, remove them temporarily with a spatula and set them aside until the chicken is ready to serve.
- Allow the chicken to rest, loosely tented with foil, for 10-15 minutes before slicing into pieces and serving with the roasted onions and potatoes. The internal temperature will rise to the safe 165°F (74°C) during resting.
Notes
Recipe copyright © Molly Gilbert 2014. Used with permission from Workman Publishing Company.
Cooking time and servings may vary depending on the size of your chosen chicken. Always use a meat thermometer for accurate doneness.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving (estimated):
Calories: 1043Total Fat: 70gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 50gCholesterol: 154mgSodium: 629mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 48g
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