This Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Smoked Paprika features deeply caramelized roasted potatoes and smoky chicken with lemon and thyme.
I don't roast a whole chicken often, but when I do, this Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Smoked Paprika is the recipe I always use. The recipe features both chicken and potatoes cooked together in the same skillet, minimizing the need to wash a sinkful of dishes after.
To ensure that the potatoes cook fully without the chicken becoming overcooked, the potatoes start browning before the chicken is added to the skillet, and continue cooking while the chicken is resting.
The result is deeply caramelized potatoes that are cooked in both a little olive oil plus the flavorful fat that renders from the chicken skin, and smoky, lemony chicken that is cooked perfectly.
How to make Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Smoked Paprika
Making this recipe starts with prepping the potatoes. Peel them and cut very thin slices from each end of the potato so that the ends are flat (see photo included in the recipe). Cut the potatoes into 1-inch thick slices (make sure you don't cut them any thinner than this, or they won't all fit into the skillet).
Toss the potatoes with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and heat the skillet over medium heat. Arrange the potatoes so that they are all laying flat in the skillet. Cook them until they're browned on the bottom (don't flip them).
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the chicken. Stir together some more olive oil, smoked paprika, lemon zest, thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub about ¼ to ⅓ of this mixture under the skin of the chicken breast, and the remainder of it all over the outside of the chicken skin.
Place the chicken on top of the potatoes in the skillet and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 1 to 1 ¼ of an hour until an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F at the breast and 175°F at the thigh.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and tent it with aluminum foil to rest for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, flip the potatoes in the skillet then cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil (carefully - it's hot) and roast the potatoes for 20 more minutes.
Carve the chicken and serve each portion with some of the potatoes. Serve with a green salad or another vegetable side dish to make a complete meal.
Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Smoked Paprika Ingredients
- Yellow potatoes - these are also known as Yukon gold potatoes. You'll need 6-7 medium ones. Avoid using potatoes that are too small as you'll spend more time peeling them.
- Olive oil - you'll need this both to toss the potatoes in and to make the spice paste to coat the chicken in.
- Medium lemon - you're mainly using the zest, but you might also want to serve your chicken and potatoes with lemon wedges for some fresh lemon juice flavor.
- Smoked paprika - using smoked paprika gives the chicken a nice smoky flavor.
- Dried thyme
- Kosher salt - or you can use MSG-salt to enhance the savory chicken flavor. I used kosher salt to toss the potatoes with, and MSG-salt in the spice paste for the chicken.
- Freshly ground black pepper - you will be using this both for the potatoes and for the spice paste for the chicken.
- 4-5 pound whole chicken - make sure to check the inside cavity for giblets and remove them if present.
Want more chicken recipes?
Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Smoked Paprika Nutrition Notes
The nutrition information in the recipe below uses a 5-pound chicken for the calculations and splits the recipe between 6 people. If your chicken is significantly smaller than 5 pounds, it may serve fewer than 6 people or your portions will be smaller.
This recipe is dairy-free and gluten-free as written.
Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Smoked Paprika
Equipment
- 12-inch oven-safe skillet (cast iron or non-stick is best)
- Skillet lid or aluminum foil
- Microplane for zesting the lemon
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 2 pounds yellow (Yukon gold) potatoes (about 6-7 medium potatoes)
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 medium lemon
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt or MSG-salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
- 1 4-5 pound whole chicken giblets removed, if applicable
Instructions
- Move the oven rack to the lower middle position and heat the oven to 400°F.
- Peel the potatoes and cut a thin slice from each end so that the ends are flat. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch thick slices (avoid cutting them thinner than this or they won't all fit into the skillet).
- Toss the cut potatoes with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Heat a 12-inch oven-safe skillet (use a non-stick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet to avoid the potatoes sticking) over medium heat. Arrange the potatoes in the skillet, ensuring that the cut sides of the potatoes are lying flat in the skillet. Cook the potatoes for about 7-9 minutes, until the bottoms are brown.
- Meanwhile, stir together the remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, all of the zest from the lemon (reserve the remaining lemon for later). 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, the remaining 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, the remaining ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and ½ teaspoon dried thyme.
- Pat the chicken dry with clean paper towels. Carefully separate the skin from the breast of the chicken from the meat underneath (it's easiest to use your fingers to avoid puncturing the skin - use food-safe nitrile gloves if this makes you squeamish) and rub some (about ¼ to ⅓) of the olive oil mixture under the skin. Rub the remaining oil mixture all over the skin of the chicken.
- With the chicken breast facing up, tuck the wing-tips of the chicken under it's back, and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Place the chicken on top of the browned potatoes (don't flip the potatoes over before adding the chicken) and carefully transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until the chicken reads 160°F at the breast and 175°F at the thigh, about 1 to 1 ¼ hours.
- Carefully transfer the chicken (leave the potatoes in the skillet) to a large cutting board and tent it with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 20 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, flip the potatoes (they should release fairly easily, if not, carefully try to pry them from underneath to prevent breaking them), cover the skillet (if you don't have a lid that fits, carefully cover it with aluminum foil) and put it back into the oven for another 20 minutes.
- Carve the chicken after resting, and serve with the potatoes and wedges of the lemon that you zested earlier. Serve with a green salad or another vegetable side to make a complete meal.
Nutrition
* Recipe adapted from The Complete Cook's Country TV Show Cookbook
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