Roast Chicken Half with Fingerling Potatoes
Updated Jul 14, 2021, Published Oct 13, 2014
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Herb and Garlic-Roasted Chicken with Dijon Rosemary Roasted Fingerling Potatoes is roast chicken simplicity perfect for a dinner for two!
There’s something deeply satisfying about roasting a whole chicken. The aroma, the breathtaking golden color and the oohs-and-ahs you receive from family and friends are all so gratifying.
Roasting a half-chicken is perfect for dinner for two. For this Herb and Garlic-Roasted Chicken, the size is right! If you and your dining partner prefer different parts of the chicken (one prefers white meat and the other likes dark), you’ll both be happy.
Admittedly, leftover chicken is always great for making additional meals such as soup, enchiladas or salad. However, because it’s just my hubby and me, we can actually tire of chicken pretty darn quickly.
The Fresh Market and Whole Foods will do a special cut and sell you a half-chicken. If purchasing a whole chicken is your only option, you’ll need a good sharp knife or heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut it. Package the other half securely, and freeze for use at a later date.
On the one you will be cooking, rinse, pat dry then tuck the tips of the wings behind the back for a nicer presentation and so the entire breast browns.
To me, the best roast chicken is simply prepared like my Roasted Split Chicken Breasts with Potatoes and Shallots. This chicken is seasoned with only salt, pepper and herbes de Provence, a dried blend of thyme, savory, marjoram, rosemary and lavender.
Tips for crispy skin on a roast chicken half:
- A half-chicken is easier to manage than a whole chicken, so I like to sear it in a nonstick pan before it goes into the oven to ensure a crispy skin. A nonstick pan ensures you won’t lose any of the skin.
- Garlic cloves, fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs are placed under the chicken along with a white wine and chicken broth combination. The wine and broth, in addition to the juices that fall from the chicken, creates an amazingly flavorful, luscious sauce to serve alongside.
Dijon and Rosemary-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes pair perfectly with this Herb and Garlic-Roasted Chicken and can be cooked in the same oven at the same temperature. Start the potatoes 15 minutes after the chicken so they’ll both be finished around the same time.
Some crusty bread, a fresh green salad or a simply cooked and seasoned green vegetable is all you need for a beautiful Provençal-inspired meal.
More great, easy chicken recipes:
- 40 Clove Garlic Chicken
- Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce
- Grilled Citrus Chicken with Spicy Basil Chimichurri
- Chicken Scallopini with Roasted Vegetable Ratatouille
- Chicken Pinot Noir with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Basil
- Chicken Marrakesh with Jeweled Couscous
- Korean Braised Chicken Thighs
- Curry Braised Chicken Thighs
- Southwestern Chicken Skillet
Roast Chicken Half with Fingerling Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 8-10 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 roasting chicken, about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
Potatoes
- 3/4 pound fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Chicken
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place garlic cloves, thyme, rosemary and chicken broth in a roasting pan fitted with a wire rack.
- Season the chicken with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with herbes de Provence.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- Place chicken skin side down and sear 3-4 minutes or until the skin is golden. Carefully turn it skin side up and transfer to prepared roasting pan.
- Remove pan from the heat. Add wine to the skillet and place back on the heat. Bring just to a boil, then pour along with any pan drippings into roasting pan.
- Roast 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and cook another 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (being careful not to touch bone) registers 165 degrees and juices run clear.
- Let chicken rest 5 minutes before carving.
- Strain pan juices into a small serving bowl. Serve chicken with potatoes (see below) and the pan juice with the chicken.
Potatoes
- Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil.
- Toss potatoes with oil, mustard, rosemary, salt and black pepper.
- Place the potatoes, cut side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast the potatoes 30 minutes, turn them over and continue roasting another 15 minutes.
Notes
- Turnips, kohlrabi, and rutabaga make great substitutes for potatoes if you want something healthier.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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For those who aren’t pros at cooking. Make sure you reduce the heat before adding the wine. I almost burnt my house down.
Thanks, Christine! Great tip and I’ll add it to the recipe.