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Easy One Pan Christmas Roast Chicken
Minaa
18 December 2024
Succulent, crisp, and fall-off-the-bone tender—this easy, one pan, affordable roast chicken recipe is perfect for cozy Christmas dinners. Simple, festive, and utterly delicious!
It’s that time of year again—CHRISTMAS—woohoo! Now, hear me out. As kids, Christmas is all about joy: decorating the tree, munching on delicious cookies, binge watching Home Alone, enjoying an elaborate dinner spread, believing in the magic of Santa Claus, and, of course, tearing open presents on Christmas morning. But as adults? It’s both a source of joy and a pain in the hiney. Why? Because now we have to do all the work: cleaning, setting up the tree and decorations, planning the dinner, cooking, sending out invitations, buying and wrapping presents, baking… and the list goes on = the price of adulting. So, as my gift to you this Christmas, I’m here to make your workload a little lighter. Enter: the 2024 Christmas Edition Dinner Mini Series! This series is all about keeping things simple, quick, and stress-free, while still delivering incredible flavor. Here’s what’s in it for you: two sides (Easy Christmas Buttery Apple Herb Stuffing and Classic Christmas Gravy: Easy, Quick & No Drippings!) and one main (Easy One Pan Christmas Roast Chicken). The recipes are:
- Easy to make.
- Affordable.
- Perfect for small Christmas dinners (and easy to scale up for larger gatherings).
- Minimal prep and less to clean
Trust me, they might be simple but they pack a punch in the taste department while still being absolutely cozy, festive, and downright delicious. So, for the first recipe in the 2024 Christmas Edition Dinner Mini Series is this Easy One Pan Christmas Roast Chicken. But, why roast chicken as main for Christmas? Roast chicken has been a favorite for thousands of years, going all the way back to ancient times. The Romans even included recipes for it in their cookbook Apicius. In medieval Europe, roast chicken was often the star of feasts, cooked with butter, herbs, and spices. Over time, it became a comforting, everyday dish in many cultures, from rustic French kitchens to Sunday roasts in Britain. Roast chicken is a perfect fit for Christmas because it’s easy to make, affordable, and pairs beautifully with festive sides like roasted veggies, stuffing, and gravy. Also, having perfectly roasted chicken that is succulent, well-spiced, crisp on the outside, and fall-off-the-bone tender is something we all want to dig into for Christmas.
There are so many roast chicken recipes out there, but this one is my take on a very Christmassy version. If you give it a try this holiday season, tag me on social media—I’d love to see your recreations and share them! Or, leave a comment and rate the recipe below.
Reviews
Ingredients:
Adjust Servings
| 1.2kg Whole Chicken | |
| 600g Red Potatoes | |
| 260g Carrots | |
| 1medium Brown Onion | |
| 20ml Olive Oil/Vegetable Oil | |
| 2tsp Ground Black Pepper | |
| 1tsp Salt |
Herb & Spice Butter Mix
| 1tsp Dried Oregano | |
| 1tsp Dried Thyme | |
| 1tsp Dried Rosemary | |
| 2tsp Smoked Paprika Powder | |
| 5cloves Garlic | |
| 1⁄2 Lemon |
Nutritional Information
Calories
Total Fat
Sodium
Dietary Fiber
Protein
Vitamin C
Cholesterol
Carbohydrates
Sugar
Vitamin A
Iron
Directions
1.
Prepare the Lemon, Onion, and Garlic
Slice half of the lemon into thin slices and set aside.
For the onion: Cut the onion in half vertically from root to tip. Take each half and slice it vertically again—you should now have four large pieces. Peel each piece and then cut them in half horizontally, resulting in a total of eight pieces. Peel and mince the garlic cloves, then place the lemon slices, onion pieces, and minced garlic on a plate and set aside.
Mark as complete
2.
Prepare the Vegetables
In a 34×23 cm baking dish, add the carrots, red potatoes, olive oil, ground black pepper, and salt. Using clean hands, mix everything well to ensure the vegetables are evenly coated. Set aside.
Mark as complete
3.
Make the Herb and Spice Butter Mix
In a bowl, add the dried oregano, dried thyme, dried rosemary, smoked paprika, minced garlic, lemon juice (reserve the lemon slices after juicing), salt, black pepper, and melted unsalted butter. Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined.
Mark as complete
4.
Bake the Chicken
In a large dish, place the whole chicken. Pour the butter mixture over and inside the chicken, making sure to rub it in well—even under the skin—for maximum flavor. Stuff the chicken cavity with the onion chunks and the juiced lemon rinds. Then, truss the chicken (see ‘Notes’ below for guidance). Carefully lift the chicken and place it in the baking dish on top of the carrots and potatoes.
Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes at 180°C (fan) or 200°C (without fan).
At the 50-minute mark, remove the chicken from the oven and use a ladle to baste it with some of the flavorful juices collected at the bottom of the baking dish. Return the chicken to the oven and continue baking until fully cooked.
Mark as complete
5.
Check If the Chicken Is Cooked
There are three ways to check if the chicken is done:
Option 1: Use a thermometer – Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thighs and wings (near the breast). The chicken is fully cooked when it reads 77°C (170°F). If the temperature is lower, return it to the oven and check again after 15–20 minutes. Option 2: Check the juices – Make a deep incision where the drumstick meets the body of the chicken. If the juices run clear, the chicken is done. If the juices are pinkish or reddish, return it to the oven and check again after 15–20 minutes. (Personally, I don’t use a thermometer, so I always opt for this method.)
Bonus Option: Wiggle the drumstick – If the drumstick moves easily with very little resistance, the chicken is fully cooked.
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6.
Rest and Serve
Once the chicken is fully cooked, let it rest for 10 minutes. This step is essential to allow the juices to redistribute, keeping the meat moist and flavorful. After resting, cut the twine (if used) and carve the chicken as desired. Plate it with the roasted carrots, potatoes, and stuffing. Drizzle some gravy over the chicken, serve, and enjoy!
Mark as complete
Notes
Trussing: Okay, so what is trussing? Trussing is when you tie the chicken at its wings and legs to prevent overcooking in those sections due to air circulation during baking. However, in my experience, you only need to truss the chicken at the ‘ankles’—or, to put it simply, the ‘stick’ part of the drumstick. To truss the chicken at the ‘ankles,’ get a twine about 45 cm long (you can cut off the excess later if it is too long). Place the twine under the chicken ankles, bring it over the ankles, cross it, and bring the ankles closer together in an overlapping manner. Wrap the twine around both ankles and tie it, then tie it again for extra security. Finally, cut off any excess twine.
Storage: Keep the remaining roast chicken (with carrots and potatoes) in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two days. When ready to consume, place the chicken in a casserole dish, pour about 50 ml of water over it (to prevent it from drying out), and reheat in the oven at 180°C for 30 minutes. It will then be ready to eat.
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