Simple Roast Chicken and Baby Potatoes
This simple roast chicken is the kind of classic dinner that feels special without being complicated. A quick dry brine and plenty of olive oil create juicy, flavorful chicken with crispy, golden skin, while baby potatoes roast underneath and soak up all those delicious pan juices. It’s an easy, from-scratch meal that’s perfect for a cozy Sunday dinner.

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There’s something so comforting about a roast chicken dinner. A whole chicken with crispy, golden skin, juicy meat, paired with delicious roasted baby potatoes! I make this bi-weekly in our house because it truly is that good. Plus, we usually have leftover meat which I will use to make soup with later in the week. The leftover chicken goes really nicely in my Leftover Turkey Sweet Potato Soup as a chicken substitue!
Why You’ll Love This Roast Chicken
- The dry brine ahead of time makes all the difference. Salting the chicken at minimum 8 hours before roasting gives the salt time to work into the meat to tenderize, while also helping draw moisture out of the skin. The end result is a juicy chicken with perfect crisp skin.
- It’s mostly hands off. So once the chicken is salted, stuffed, seasoned, and tied with twine, you just need to rely on the oven for the rest. This is a great recipe for Sunday dinner because it feels really special without requiring hours of actively cooking.
- The potatoes cook right with the chicken. No additional pan needed for a side, easy peasy!
Ingredients Needed
- 1 (4-5lb) whole chicken
- Kosher salt
- Olive oil
- Golden Steer Table 40 Seasoning – I’ve been swearing by this seasoning lately, it’s my go-to every time I make this recipe!
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Fresh rosemary
- Baby potatoes – I like to use the Trader Joe’s bagged red potatoes
How to Make Roast Chicken
Dry Brine the Chicken
- Place the chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or roasting pan. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Generously season the outside of the chicken with kosher salt, making sure to get underneath the wings and around the legs. Season inside the cavity as well.
- Place the chicken in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 8 hours.
Preparing/Roasting the Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of the oil with the Table 40 Seasoning.
- Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the onion wedges, garlic cloves, and rosemary sprigs.
- Brush the seasoned oil all over the chicken and make sure to coat the underside as well.
- Tie the legs together with butcher’s twine and tuck the wings underneath the chicken.
- Arrange the baby potatoes around the chicken in the roasting pan and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken in the oven and roast at 425°F for 1 hour.
- After an hour, reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and loosely tent the chicken with foil.
- Continue roasting for another 30–45 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken between the thigh and leg reaches 165°F with a thermometer and the juices run clear.
Let it Rest
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving. Then carve the chicken and serve it alongside the roasted baby potatoes!

Ingredients
Method
- Place the chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or roasting pan. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels.
- Generously season the outside of the chicken with kosher salt, making sure to get underneath the wings and around the legs. Season the cavity as well.
- Place the chicken in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 8 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of the oil with the Table 40 Seasoning.
- Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the onion wedges, garlic cloves, and rosemary.
- Brush the seasoned oil all over the chicken, making sure to coat the underside as well.
- Tie the legs together with butcher's twine and tuck the wings underneath the chicken.
- Arrange the baby potatoes around the chicken in the roasting pan and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken in the oven and roast at 425°F for 1 hour.
- After an hour, reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and loosely tent the chicken with foil.
- Continue roasting for another 30–45 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken between the thigh and leg reaches 165°F and the juices run clear.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
