Herb-Roasted Chicken with Garlic, Lemon & Crispy Potatoes | Market Basket Series Week 4

This recipe is part of our Market Basket Series — Week 4: Italian Comfort. It is designed to be read in conjunction with that post, which includes the full chicken allocation strategy, shopping list, and the four additional dinners that use the shredded meat from this roast. A deeply flavourful whole roasted chicken rubbed with Italian herbs, garlic, and lemon — roasted on a bed of crispy potatoes and blistered cherry tomatoes for a complete one-pan dinner. About This Recipe This is the foundational recipe for Week 4 of the Market Basket Series. A simple Italian herb paste — olive oil, flat-leaf parsley, basil, and oregano — is rubbed all over the bird and under the skin, while lemon and smashed garlic perfume the cavity as it roasts. The chicken sits directly on top of halved baby potatoes, which absorb the drippings and turn golden and crispy underneath. Cherry tomatoes are scattered in for the last 20 minutes, blistering into a natural pan sauce. The result is a complete, impressive dinner with almost no washing up — and enough shredded meat left over to anchor four more meals through the week. Ingredients 1 whole chicken (4–5 lb) 1 lemon, halved 8–10 cloves garlic, smashed (divided — some for the herb paste, some for the cavity) 2 lb baby potatoes, halved 1 pint cherry tomatoes 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (reserve the stems for the cavity) 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped 1 teaspoon dried oregano Salt and black pepper to taste Instructions Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat chicken completely dry with paper towels. Squeeze the juice of one lemon half into a small bowl. Mix with 2 tablespoons olive oil, parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper to form a herb paste. Rub all over the chicken and under the skin where possible. Use 4–5 smashed garlic cloves in the paste or scatter around the pan. Stuff the cavity with both lemon halves (now squeezed), the remaining 4–5 smashed garlic cloves, and the reserved parsley stems. This fills the cavity well and perfumes the meat throughout roasting. Toss halved baby potatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer in a large roasting pan. Place chicken on top of the potatoes, breast-side up. Roast for 40 minutes, then scatter cherry tomatoes around the pan. Continue roasting for a further 20–35 minutes until skin is deep golden, tomatoes are blistered, and internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh. Potatoes should be golden and crispy where they have absorbed the chicken drippings. Rest for 10 minutes. Serve legs and one breast tonight with the crispy potatoes, blistered tomatoes, pan juices, and crusty bread. Shred remaining meat and immediately divide into three labelled airtight containers: 1.5 cups for the ribollita, 1 cup for the pasta bake, and 0.5 cup for the frittata. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Recipe Details Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 60–75 minutes Resting Time: 10 minutes Servings: 4 (plus leftovers for 4 additional meals) Difficulty: Easy Dietary Info: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Tips & Variations Drying the chicken thoroughly before roasting is the single most important step for crispy skin — do not skip it The potatoes closest to the chicken will be the crispiest — arrange them cut-side down in a single layer for best results Use rosemary and thyme in place of basil for a more rustic profile Add halved red onion wedges to the roasting pan alongside the potatoes for extra sweetness Use Yukon Gold potatoes cut into chunks if baby potatoes aren’t available Bone-in chicken thighs work well if a whole bird feels like too much — reduce cook time to 35–40 minutes Spoon pan juices over the chicken two or three times during roasting for extra flavour and colour Dividing the shredded meat into labelled portions immediately after dinner is the key to the whole week running smoothly — it takes two minutes

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