Pesto Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots

roast chicken, potatoes and carrots on a long white platter on a white wooden table

5 from 8 votes

Pesto Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots

You just need one pan and 5 ingredients (plus salt, pepper and oil) to make this easy, crispy roast chicken with vegetables! Juicy chicken with crispy skin is smothered with pesto and baked atop potatoes and carrots that soak in all the pesto-y juices. A family favorite!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 15

resting time15

Total Time1 50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: people

Calories: 693kcal

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

2 lbs. carrots
1 lb. yellow or red potatoes
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 whole chicken (about 3-4 pounds), room temperature
5-6 oz. tub pesto
1 lemon

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Peel and trim the ends off the carrots. Chop into 1" pieces and add to a large bowl.
Scrub the potatoes under running water and dry. Chop into 1" pieces and add to the bowl.
Toss the veggies with 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper until thoroughly coated. Spread out on the baking sheet in a single layer, making sure there's enough in the middle to rest the chicken on.
Pat the chicken dry and trim off any excess fat around the cavity. Wiggle your finger between the skin and meat to loosen the skin. You don't want the skin to rip but don't worry if it does.
Smear the pesto under the chicken skin. Use your fingers and the skin to evenly spread out the pesto as best as possible. You should have about 1-2 tablespoons remaining pesto which you can spread out over the skin.
Cut the lemon in half and stick in the cavity.
Place the chicken on top of the vegetables with the legs facing the long side of the baking sheet. Place in the oven with the legs toward the back of the oven.
Roast until the skin is crispy and the vegetables are tender. An oven probe or instant thermometer should register 165° when inserted into the thickest part of the breast (without hitting bone). You can also cut into the chicken at the thigh joint - the juices should run clear. This should take about 60-75 minutes, depending on the size of the bird.
Remove from the oven, loosely cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Remove the lemon from the cavity. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and carve. Toss the veggies on the baking sheet to get evenly coated with the juices. Serve the chicken and veggies, squeezing some lemon over everything.

Notes

Leftovers

Leftovers will keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze the leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Warm up in a 300° oven for 20-30 minutes.

Once the chicken is warmed up, you can broil it for 1-5 minutes to re-crisp the skin. It won't get as crispy as before but it'll get pretty close. Just keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.

For a dairy-free or Whole30 option, use the following recipe:

Dairy-free pesto

In a food processor, blend 2 cups basil leaves, 1 peeled garlic clove, 3 tablespoons pine nuts and 1/4 teaspoon salt. With the processor running, slowly pour in 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or as much as you need to get the consistency you want (should be a loose, spreadable paste). Taste and adjust seasoning.

Nutrition