To make this sheet pan chicken situation, all you need to do is turn on an oven, and cut up some vegetables. Oh, and open a bottle of bubbles, to make it ~nice~.
Here's a how-to video, even! Plus, there's a photo step-by-step and a full recipe at the bottom of this post.
Start with the vegetables. I like a mix of teeny potatoes, carrots and parsnips.
Add the herbs, garlic, and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Create a little "nest" in the vegetables for the chicken to rest in. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season all over with salt and pepper.
Pop the whole thing into the oven and roast for 45-55 minutes.
The exact cook time will depend on your oven and the size of the chicken. Once the chicken is golden brown all over and cooked through*, transfer it to a cutting board. Sprinkle the vegetables with Parmesan cheese.
* Cooked through means a thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the thigh registers 165°. If you don't have a thermometer handy, try to wiggle the leg: It should feel loose, like it wants to fall right off the chicken.
Pop the vegetables back into the oven and roast them till the cheese melts and gets all golden brown, about 5 minutes.
For the salad, combine some nice winter greens, thinly sliced fennel and blood orange (or, regular orange if you can't get your hands on a fancy one), and season with lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil.
To really seal the deal, serve chicken with the juices from the pan poured over.
Roast Chicken With Crispy Parmesan Root Vegetables and Winter Salad With Blood Orange
Serves 2
by Alison Roman
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds mixed root vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, and parsnips
1 bunch fresh thyme, divided
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken
1 whole head garlic, halved crosswise through the middle
1 lemon, halved
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups winter salad greens, such as arugula or watercress
1/2 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 blood orange (or regular orange), peeled and thinly sliced
1 loaf of crusty bread, for serving
1 bottle of wine, for drinking
PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Wash and scrub the root vegetables (if you *must* peel them, go for it, but I think it's totally unnecessary) and cut them into large pieces. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet and toss them with a few of the thyme sprigs and 2 tablespoons of olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and season all over with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the garlic, the rest of the thyme and half the lemon (just shove all the stuff in there, it's okay if some of the things are exposed). Drizzle the chicken with another 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place the baking sheet in the oven.
3. Roast, tossing vegetables occasionally, until the chicken is a deep golden brown and cooked through (a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should register 165°. If you don't have a thermometer, a good way to test is to wiggle the drumstick—it should feel tender and loose, about 45-55 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken from the baking sheet and place it on a cutting board to rest. Sprinkle the vegetables with the Parmesan and return to oven until the cheese is browned and the vegetables are super crispy, 5-8 minutes. While you're at it, toss that loaf of bread in there, because warm bread > not warm bread.
5. While the chicken is resting and the vegetables are finishing up, make the salad. Combine the salad greens, fennel and blood orange in a medium bowl. Squeeze the other half of lemon over everything and season with salt and pepper. Add the last tablespoon of olive oil and toss everything together. Taste a leaf or two and make sure it's seasoned to your liking.
6. Bring everything to the table so you can carve the chicken in front of your dining companion, forever charming them with your poultry prowess. You can also just slice pieces as you see fit, this should be the least stressful part of this whole thing.