Roasted Chicken Recipe

Prepare chicken

Pat the hind quarters dry with paper towels. Tuck any excess skin under the pieces and trim large fat deposits. Use a sharp knife to make 2 shallow slashes in the thickest part of each thigh to help marinade penetrate.

Make marinade

In a large bowl or resealable bag combine the white wine, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, honey, chopped rosemary, stripped thyme leaves (reserve sprigs for roasting), kosher salt and black pepper. Whisk until emulsified.

Marinate

Add the chicken hind quarters to the marinade, turning to coat thoroughly. Press to remove air if using a bag. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Remove chicken from fridge 30 minutes before roasting to come toward room temperature.

Preheat oven

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Position a rack in the center of the oven.

Prepare roasting pan

Arrange the halved potatoes, carrots and halved shallots in a single layer in a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil (from the marinade amount if desired) and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Sear chicken (optional, recommended)

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade) and sear skin-side down until deeply golden, 4–6 minutes. Flip and sear the other side 2 minutes. Transfer seared chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan, skin-side up.

Add liquids and herbs

Pour the reserved marinade and the chicken or vegetable stock into the roasting pan around (not over) the chicken pieces. Add the thyme sprigs tucked between pieces. Dot the chicken and vegetables with the melted butter to encourage browning.

Roast

Roast in the preheated oven for 35–45 minutes, basting once or twice with pan juices, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) reads 74°C (165°F) and the skin is crisp and golden. If skin is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes.

Rest

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer chicken to a cutting board or platter. Let rest 8–10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. While resting, place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat to reduce the pan juices for 3–5 minutes into a slightly thicker sauce (optional). Skim off excess fat if desired.

Carve or serve each hind quarter whole over a bed of the roasted vegetables. Spoon some of the reduced pan sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top and serve with lemon wedges alongside for squeezing.

Serve immediately. For banquet service: keep chicken warm in a low oven (90–100°C / 200–210°F) covered loosely with foil for up to 30 minutes before plating. Reheat juices and spoon over before serving.