Perfect Juicy Roast Chicken and Potatoes

There is simply nothing as enjoyable then a perfectly prepared Roast Chicken. It has to be the number one favorite of all meals. When Tom and I were in Paris we were walking along the side streets and in one store window we saw small chickens cooking on rotisserie's. What was so fascinating is that this store had a sheet pan of peeled potatoes under the chickens and as the chickens were roasting and turning their juices dripped down onto a sheet pan of potatoes underneath. The potatoes were browning and getting very crisp. It was a glorious sight for me to see! The smells coming from the store were amazing.

When I got home I tried to replicate what I had seen. I do not have a rotisserie so I recreated by setting my chicken on a roasting rack, inside a large roasting pan, (big enough for a turkey), and I placed the peeled potatoes underneath the chicken and spread them out so that air could circulate all around them.

If you have a confection setting on your oven I highly recommend using it for this one recipe. Be careful of your timing as convection ovens roast much faster then the bake setting. Usually about 25% faster however the science of this is not perfect. I always recommend cooking any chicken that is not stuffed around 12-15 minutes a lb at 350 degrees. I allow all of my baked chickens to rest for 20 minutes before cutting - sometimes depending on the size a full 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

4-5 lb all natural chicken - (allow chicken to come up to room temp for 30 minutes before baking)

3-4 Tbsp Olive Oil

Sea Salt or Kosher Salt

Black Pepper - cracked if you have it

Optional - Emerill's original Essence and Garlic Powder for the chicken

6-8 peeled white or Yukon Gold Potatoes - cut into any size and shape you prefer

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees or set Convection Temp to 350 degrees

Directions:

For this recipe if you like to add herb butter under the breast skin go ahead. If not, just apply the Olive Oil all over the chicken after you pat dry the outer skin. Sprinkle a generous amount of Sea Salt or Kosher Salt and cracked Black Pepper over the chicken while it is coming up to room temperature.

For the potatoes - In a bowl, add approx 1 Tbsp of olive oil and a good pinch or two of salt and pepper to the peeled potatoes and toss them a bit before spreading them around under the chicken rack that will be set inside the roasting pan.

Optional - you can add fresh sprigs of Thyme in and among the potatoes.

Quick Tip - After removing the chicken from the oven and while it is resting on a platter - I will turn the potatoes around, using a kitchen spoon, while they are still in the roasting

pan - covering them well with the chicken juices. I will place the potatoes back into the oven for a minimum of 10 minutes to finish crisping.

Optional - if serving for company I always like to top my chicken and potatoes with a touch of chopped parsley or scallions.

ENJOY!