Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Smoked Paprika
This Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Smoked Paprika features deeply caramelized roasted potatoes and smoky chicken with lemon and thyme.
Servings: 6
Calories: 577kcal
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 1/2 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 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/2 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 1/4 to 1/3) 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 1/4 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
Calories: 577kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 912mg | Potassium: 1025mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 594IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3mg
