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Perfectly Simple Roast Chicken
There's nothing homier than a delicious roast chicken dinner.
The keys to perfect roast chicken are: 1) be generous with the seasoning and 2) let the chicken dry out in the fridge before roasting, in order to get super crispy skin.
1 4 to 5 pound roasting chicken, rinsed and dried with paper towels
1 head garlic, 1 clove minced, all others separated but not peeled
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bulb fennel, core removed, quartered
6 shallots, peeled
1 can 15-ounce artichoke hearts, drained
1 russet potato, unpeeled, cut in 2-inch chunks
In a small bowl, stir together the minced garlic, rosemary, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil, to make a paste. Place the chicken breast side up in a roasting pan. Gently slide your hand under the skin of the chicken and rub the spices onto the breast and drumsticks under the skin. Rub any remaining paste on top of the breast. Season all over with a generous sprinkle more of salt and pepper. If you want, you can tie the legs together with kitchen string; this makes for a prettier chicken but is not necessary. Put the chicken in the pan, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
When you are ready to roast the chicken, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Scatter the remaining whole garlic cloves, fennel, shallots, artichoke hearts, and potatoes around the chicken. Sprinkle the vegetables with a little salt and pepper. Roast for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the skin is brown and crisp. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before carving.
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