Today, I’m talking about my absolute favorite back-to-school supper: One-Pan Roast Chicken with Schmaltzy Root Vegetables. And honestly, if you’re going to roast one chicken, you might as well roast two. Why? Because having cold roast chicken in the refrigerator is like having gold in the bank. You can turn it into salads, quick soups, stews—you name it.
Plus, when you roast chickens over a bed of root vegetables, the veggies catch all those drippings and get beautifully schmaltzy. You can fry those leftovers up with an egg for breakfast (my “last-minute hash”) or throw them into a soup. It’s the ultimate two-for-one meal prep.
Jump to RecipeWhat You’ll Need
Before we get started, let’s talk about the ingredients you need.
Ingredients
The Vegetables
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 ½ lbs small red potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, halved or quartered into 1-inch pieces
- 6 large shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise (keep root end intact)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
The Chicken
- 2 whole chickens (approx. 3.5 to 4 lbs each), giblets removed
- 3 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped (divided between birds)
- Salt and black pepper (mixed together for easy seasoning)
The Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped (leaves only)
- 3 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Serve: Remove twine, carve the chicken, and arrange on a platter with the vegetables. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the hot chicken and serve.
Preheat and Veggie Prep: Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C). In a large bowl, toss the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, and shallots with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper until coated. Spread them evenly into a large, sturdy roasting pan (use your largest size, e.g., 14×17 inch). Place a roasting rack directly over the vegetables and spray the rack with cooking spray.
Prep the Chicken: Pat chickens dry with paper towels (do not rinse). Loosen the skin over the breasts with your fingers and stuff the chopped tarragon (about 1.5 tbsp per bird) directly under the skin, spreading it out. Tuck the wing tips behind the back.
Season and Truss: Generously season the birds on all sides with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
The Upside-Down Roast: Place the chickens on the roasting rack breast-side down. Roast for 20 minutes.
Flip and Finish: Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully flip the chickens so they are breast-side up. Return to the oven and roast for about 60 minutes longer.
Check Doneness: The chicken is done when the breast registers 160°F (71°C) and thighs register 175°F (79°C).
Rest: Transfer chickens to a cutting board. Tip them slightly to drain juices from the cavity onto the vegetables. Tent the birds loosely with foil and let rest for at least 15 minutes.
Stovetop Finish for Veggies: While the chicken rests, check the vegetables. If they are pale or sitting in liquid, place the roasting pan across two burners on your stovetop over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the liquid evaporates and the vegetables caramelize in the rendered fat.
Make Vinaigrette: Whisk together the chopped parsley, tarragon, ¼ cup olive oil, sherry vinegar, Dijon, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
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One-Pan Roast Chicken with Schmaltzy Root Vegetables
Course: dinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium4
servings30
minutes1
hour30
minutes650
kcal15
minutes2
hours15
minutesA high-heat roasting method that yields crispy skin, juicy meat, and a pan full of caramelized, schmaltz-fried vegetables.
Ingredients
- For the Vegetables:
1 lb (450g) carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb (450g) parsnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1.5 lbs (680g) small red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 shallots, halved lengthwise (root end intact)
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- For the Chicken:
2 whole chickens (approx. 3.5 - 4 lbs each)
3 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
2 tbsp kosher salt (approximate, for seasoning)
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper (approximate, for seasoning)
- For the Vinaigrette:
⅓ cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
3 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat Oven: Set rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 475°F (245°C).
- Prepare Vegetables: Combine carrots, parsnips, potatoes, and shallots in a bowl. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a large roasting pan. Place a roasting rack on top; spray rack with oil.
- Season Chicken: Loosen breast skin of chickens. Distribute chopped tarragon under the skin. Season birds liberally inside and out with salt and pepper. Truss legs with twine and tuck wings.
- Roast Upside Down: Place chickens on the rack breast-side down. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Flip and Continue: Flip chickens to breast-side up. Roast for another 50-60 minutes until breast meat registers 160°F and thighs 175°F.
- Rest: Move chickens to a board. Tip juices from cavities into the vegetable pan. Tent chickens with foil for 15 minutes.
- Caramelize Veggies: Place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Cook vegetables in the rendered fat for ~10 minutes until browned and liquid has evaporated.
- Make Sauce: Whisk together parsley, tarragon, olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, salt, and pepper.
- Serve: Carve chicken and serve with vegetables, drizzled with the vinaigrette.
Notes
- Leftover Gold: Roast two birds even if you only need one. The leftover meat is perfect for salads, soups, or sandwiches later in the week.
- Save the Bones: Don't throw away the carcasses! They make excellent stock.
- Parsnip Tip: Even if you aren't a parsnip fan, include them. They roast sweetly here and don't overpower the dish like they might in a stew.
- Equipment: You need a heavy-duty roasting pan that is safe for stovetop use to get that final caramelization on the veggies.
