Baked Chicken with Potatoes

Baked Chicken with Potatoes is a classic dish beloved for its simplicity and enveloping taste. Let’s look at the ingredients and then move on to the preparation.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 1.2-1.5 kg)
• 800 grams of potatoes
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• Extra virgin olive oil as needed
• Salt as needed
• Pepper as needed
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 glass of white wine (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F).
2. Clean the chicken well by removing any feather residues and innards. Rinse it under running water and pat it dry with kitchen paper.
3. In a bowl, mix the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper.
4. Rub this marinade on the outside and inside of the chicken to season it evenly.
5. Take a clove of garlic and the sprig of rosemary and insert them into the chicken’s abdominal cavity.
6. Peel the potatoes and cut them into uniformly sized pieces, then season them with oil, salt, pepper, and chopped garlic.
7. Place the chicken in a roasting pan and arrange the potatoes around it.
8. Pour the white wine into the pan to keep the meat moist during cooking; this step is optional but helps to add more flavor and to prevent the chicken from drying out.
9. Bake the chicken and potatoes and let them cook for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. It’s important to baste the chicken occasionally with its pan juices, to ensure that the meat remains tender and succulent.
10. To check if the chicken is cooked, prick it in the thickest part; if the juice that comes out is clear and not pink, the chicken is ready.
11. Let the chicken rest out of the oven for a few minutes before cutting it into pieces and serving it with the now golden and crispy potatoes.

Trivia

Baked Chicken with Potatoes is a traditional Italian recipe that each family has handed down with their own little secrets and variations. For an even more aromatic version, you can add other herbs like thyme or marjoram. If you love spicy food, a pinch of chili pepper can give a lively touch to your dish.