My family loves my roasted chicken and vegetables, but I have been making it for so long I thought it was time to try a new combination of veggies and seasonings. As good as a recipe can be, it also gets old after a while.

I'm always looking for easy and healthy chicken and vegetable recipes I can make in my cast iron skillet, so my daughter gave me a subscription to Southern Cast Iron for Christmas last year. I've loved finding new things to make in my cast iron skillet.

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Oh my word, this roasted chicken and vegetables smelled so good when cooking that my entire family could not wait for dinner. The aroma of the garlic and fennel will make your mouth water.

What You Need for Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

You will need a whole roasting chicken, fennel bulbs, fresh thyme, one head of garlic, baby carrots, and chicken broth or bouillon. You'll also need olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. With just eight ingredients, this chicken and roasted vegetables recipe is so easy.

How to Make Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Preheat oven to 425º F. 

Slice the fennel into 1/2 slices reserving the fronds for garnish. Does anyone else get asked what they use fennel for at the grocery store? I think every time I buy it someone asks me. Once you taste this, you'll be able to tell people how delicious it is with chicken!

Place fennel in the pan and drizzle it with one tablespoon of good quality olive oil. Sprinkle with one teaspoon of salt.

Combine the thyme, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, pepper, and a tablespoon of salt in a small bowl. I know it seems like a lot of salt, but it is truly the perfect amount. Mix well.

You can go ahead and put carrots around the edge of the pan. The chicken will go in the middle, so you can add more once it's there.

Pull the skin away from the meat and rub the spice mixture over it. Try to get it under the skin on the legs, too. Spread that deliciousness around!

Place the chicken on top of the fennel. If you can, tie the legs together with a piece of the longer fennel. This makes a nice presentation, but you can also use twine or nothing at all. Add more carrots.

Place garlic, cut side up, on either side of the pan. I completely forgot I had taken all my garlic cloves out of the heads and put them in the freezer, so I just used garlic cloves this time.

The roasted garlic adds so much flavor and the cloves worked fine, but I love the presentation of the heads of garlic in the pan. Either way, drizzle the garlic with the last tablespoon of oil.

Roast the chicken and vegetables for 30 minutes. I basted the chicken with chicken broth two or three times during the roasting, tossing the vegetables.

After 30 minutes, turn down the heat to 350º and roast for another 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 160º in the thickest part of the thigh. 

I have a meat thermometer that plugs into my oven, and I love it. If you don't use one, give it a try.

I used to overcook meats all the time. In fact, when I first began using the thermometer, I never would trust it, still cooking the meat too long. Trust your thermometer!

Remember, the meat continues to cook for a few minutes after you take it from the oven. The skin should be golden brown when it's done. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

I usually have a gravy bowl on the table, filled with the broth from the chicken. I also serve cranberry sauce on the side. We love Thanksgiving all year long!

Serve this Rosemary and Garlic Bread alongside the chicken to sop up the juices. It's so good.

This was one of our favorite meals ever. I can't wait to share the soup I made the next day!

What Other Vegetables Can I Use?

I usually make roast chicken with vegetables and potatoes, but I completely forgot potatoes this time. I thought about telling my family but decided to see if they would notice. They did!

I usually use the baby potatoes along with the bagged baby carrots as it's simply less work. Easier is better, right?

There are so many veggies you could add to this with the same spices I've used. Sweet potatoes or butternut squash would be really good. Cherry tomatoes would be delicious, too.

In the original recipe, red peppers were added. Though I love them, my husband says everything tastes like red peppers when you add them to a dish, so I left them out.

Do I Have to Use a Whole Roaster?

You don't have to use a whole roaster, but you really should buy chicken with the skin on so you can tuck the herb mixture under the skin. It makes a huge difference in flavor and tenderness when making slow-roasted chicken and vegetables.

Baked chicken breast with vegetables and potatoes would be easy and perfect for just a couple of people.

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Yield: 7

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Delicious roasted chicken with fennel and carrots.

Print

Ingredients

• Roasting Chicken, 6 pounds
• 2 fennel bulbs
• 3 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 5 T olive oil, divided
• 1 T and 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 head garlic
• 4 C baby carrots

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425º F. 
2. Slice the fennel into 1/2 slices reserving the fronds for garnish. 
3. Place fennel in the pan and drizzle it with one tablespoon of good quality olive oil. 
4. Sprinkle with one teaspoon of salt.
5. Combine the thyme, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, pepper, and a tablespoon of salt in a small bowl. I know it seems like a lot of salt, but it is truly the perfect amount. Mix well.
6. You can go ahead and put carrots around the edge of the pan. The chicken will go in the middle, so you can add more once it's there.
7. Pull the skin away from the meat and rub the spice mixture over it. Try to get it under the skin on the legs, too. 
8. Place the chicken on top of the fennel. If you can, tie the legs together with a piece of the longer fennel. This makes a nice presentation, but you can also use twine or nothing at all. 
9. Add more carrots.
10. Place garlic, cut side up, on either side of the pan. Drizzle the garlic with the last tablespoon of oil.
11. Roast the chicken and vegetables for 30 minutes. I basted the chicken with chicken broth two or three times during the roasting, tossing the vegetables.
12. After 30 minutes, turn down the heat to 350º and roast for another 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 160º in the thickest part of the thigh. 
13. Remember, the meat continues to cook for a few minutes after you take it from the oven. The skin should be golden brown when it's done. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
14. I usually have a gravy bowl on the table, filled with the broth from the chicken. I also serve cranberry sauce on the side.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 7
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 350Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 1.4g

Calories are approximate and based on not eating skin.

Did you make this recipe?

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Other Chicken Recipes You May Want to Try

This Lemon Lime Cast Iron Chicken is incredible and another easy recipe.  We love comfort food, and your family will ask for this Chicken Pot Pie again and again as well as this Baked Sweet Hawaiian Chicken (it's a kid favorite!)

Fruit and poultry pair really well in this Chicken and Peaches recipe. 

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