Turn a whole roasted chicken into a Mediterranean feast with potatoes, eggplant, bell peppers and fennel.
Meltingly tender vegetables, juicy chicken in an easy one pan chicken recipe!
This succulent roast chicken is pure comfort food!
The chicken is roasted simply with olive oil and lemon. Then the Mediterranean vegetables are added and continue to cook with the chicken.
The chicken juices braise the vegetables into they are tender and flavorful, while the chicken stays so juicy!
Simple and yet so delicious!
Ingredients.
- Fennel - you'll use the bulb, you can save some of the fronds for garnish.
- Eggplant.
- Thyme, garlic, lemon and olive oil. Fresh thyme is preferred, if you buy extra be sure and use this guide - How to Dry Thyme to save some! Lemon Infused Olive Oil would also be delicious here!
- Potatoes - small new potatoes if possible.
- Whole chicken. If you bought two, save one for our Thyme Roasted Chicken with Potatoes!
- Bell peppers - accidentally left out of photo.
Step by step instructions.
Rub the chicken with olive oil, place half a lemon and a sprig or two of thyme in the cavity and generously sprinkle with pepper. You can truss it if you'd like.
Place in a large roasting pan (big enough to hold all the vegetables) breast side down and roast at 400 for 30 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and turn the chicken over. Baste with any drippings. Add the potatoes and roll them around in the drippings. Sprinkle chicken and potatoes with salt. Roast for 30 more minutes.
Cut eggplant into 1 inch cubes, quarter the bell peppers and the fennel.
Remove the pan from the oven and add the eggplant, bell peppers, fennel and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
Continue to roast for 30-50 more minutes, basting and stirring the vegetables occasionally.
Check the temp of the chicken (should be 165 f) and enjoy!
I have made this easy roast chicken countless times and it is always amazing. I play with the ratio of vegetables and often use whatever I have on hand.
To serve you can cut up the chicken into serving pieces and place them mounded on top of the vegetables on a big platter. Skim the juices and serve it on the side or drizzle over the top.
It is especially delicious served over polenta to get every last drop of the tasty juices.
Recipe.
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Mediterranean Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 ½ pound whole chicken giblets removed
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon
- thyme few sprigs
- 1 pound potatoes small, new or peeled and cut into chunks if large
- 1 red bell pepper seeded, cut into quarters
- 1 eggplant cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 fennel bulb cut into quarters
- 8 garlic cloves unpeeled
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Rub some of the olive oil over the chicken and sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper. Place half a lemon and a few sprigs of thyme in the cavity. Place the chicken breast side down in the roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and turn over the chicken. Baste with drippings. Add potatoes and roll them around to coat in the drippings. Sprinkle chicken and potatoes with salt and roast for 30 more minutes.
- Remove pan from the oven and add the rest of the vegetables and any remaining thyme and then drizzle everything with the rest of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 30-50 more minutes or until chicken is cooked to 165, basting and stirring the vegetables occasionally.
- Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Skim the juices and serve the chicken with the vegetables and the juice.
Jean says
Im always inspired with mediterranean cuisine, have to try this
Audrey says
I loved the spices in this recipe, so good!
Swathi says
Mediterranean roast chicken looks delicious Perfect meal idea.