Irresistible Rosemary Roasted Chicken with Potatoes

If you ask me, rosemary roasted chicken with potatoes is comfort food at its finest.

This simple one-pan dinner brings together juicy chicken and tender potatoes with the earthy aroma of fresh rosemary. The chicken gets crispy skin while the potatoes soak up all those good pan drippings.

It’s roasted together in a hot oven until everything turns golden brown and fills your kitchen with that amazing smell. A sprinkle of garlic and olive oil helps the whole thing come together.

It’s a family-friendly dish that feels fancy but couldn’t be easier, perfect for Sunday dinners or busy weeknights.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this recipe, bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces are the way to go since they stay juicy during the longer roasting time and the skin gets beautifully crispy. I personally love using whole leg and thigh pieces because dark meat has more flavor and stays moist, but you can also use a mix of thighs, drumsticks, and breasts if that’s what you prefer. If you’re buying a whole chicken, just cut it into pieces yourself, or ask your butcher to do it for you. Avoid boneless, skinless pieces for this recipe since they’ll dry out too quickly in the oven and won’t give you that satisfying crispy skin we’re after.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some easy substitutions you can make:

• Chicken pieces: While bone-in, skin-on pieces give the best flavor and stay juicy, you can use a whole cut-up chicken or even boneless thighs if that’s what you have. Just reduce cooking time by about 10-15 minutes for boneless pieces.
• Fresh rosemary: If you don’t have fresh rosemary, use dried instead – but cut the amount in half since dried herbs are more concentrated. So use about 1/2 teaspoon dried for the chicken and 1/4 teaspoon for the potatoes.
• Yukon gold potatoes: Red potatoes work great here too and hold their shape well during roasting. Russets will work but might get a bit more fluffy, which some people actually prefer.
• Fresh garlic cloves: You can substitute with 2 tablespoons of minced garlic from a jar, though fresh definitely tastes better for roasting.
• Lemons: If you’re out of lemons, try orange slices for a sweeter citrus note, or skip the citrus altogether – the dish will still be delicious.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Regular olive oil or even vegetable oil will work fine, though you might lose a bit of that rich olive flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Roasting

The biggest mistake when roasting chicken and potatoes together is not accounting for their different cooking times – potatoes need a head start of about 20-30 minutes before adding the chicken, or they’ll end up hard and undercooked while your chicken is perfectly done.

Another common error is overcrowding the pan, which causes everything to steam instead of roast, so make sure to use a large enough roasting pan or two separate pans if needed.

Don’t forget to pat your chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels before seasoning, as any moisture will prevent that crispy skin everyone loves.

For the best results, arrange your potatoes cut-side down and flip them halfway through cooking so they get golden and crispy on both sides, and always let your chicken rest for 10 minutes after roasting to keep the juices from running out when you carve.

What to Serve With Rosemary Roasted Chicken?

This rosemary roasted chicken is already a complete meal with those crispy potatoes, but I love adding a simple green vegetable to round things out. Roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans work perfectly since they can go in the oven alongside the chicken during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking. A fresh arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette is another great option that cuts through the richness of the roasted chicken and potatoes. For something heartier, try serving it with warm dinner rolls or crusty bread to soak up all those delicious pan juices.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This roasted chicken and potatoes combo keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. I like to separate the chicken from the potatoes if I have extra containers, since they reheat a bit differently. The flavors actually get even better after a day or two!

Freeze: You can freeze portions of this meal for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers or bags. The chicken freezes better than the potatoes, so I usually freeze them separately. Just make sure everything is completely cooled before freezing to maintain the best texture.

Warm Up: To reheat, I like to use the oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes until heated through. This helps keep the chicken skin crispy and the potatoes from getting mushy. You can also use the microwave in a pinch, but the oven definitely gives you better results.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	60-80 minutes
Total Time	75-100 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4500-5100
• Protein: 280-330 g
• Fat: 215-260 g
• Carbohydrates: 320-370 g

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 4 to 5 lb assorted bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (such as legs and thighs)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly minced rosemary
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• Additional olive oil or nonstick cooking spray for the pan

For the potatoes:

• 3 1/2 lb yukon gold potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 12 whole garlic cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary

For assembly and garnish:

• 2 lemons, cut into 8 thick slices each
• 8 to 10 large rosemary sprigs

Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Chicken

• 4 to 5 lb assorted bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (such as legs and thighs)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly minced rosemary
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C) and placing your empty roasting pan inside to heat up along with the oven.

Meanwhile, prepare the chicken: with the skin side up, brush all pieces with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Generously coat with 2/3 of the 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon minced rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.

Flip the chicken over, brush with oil again, and sprinkle with the remaining salt, pepper, and rosemary.

This step ensures the chicken will be flavorful and the skin will get crispy.

Step 2: Prepare the Potatoes and Garlic

• 3 1/2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 12 whole garlic cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary

Cut the Yukon gold potatoes into 1-inch chunks and place them in a large mixing bowl.

Toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 12 whole garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary until evenly coated.

This mixture will create a delicious base that soaks up all the flavors from the chicken as it roasts.

Step 3: Layer Potatoes, Garlic, Lemon, and Rosemary in the Pan

• additional olive oil or nonstick cooking spray for the pan
• potato and garlic mixture from Step 2
• 2 lemons, cut into 8 thick slices each
• 8 to 10 large rosemary sprigs

Wearing oven mitts, carefully remove your hot roasting pan from the oven.

Liberally brush the surface with additional olive oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Pour the potato and garlic mixture from Step 2 evenly across the bottom of the hot pan.

Arrange the lemon slices and large rosemary sprigs on top of the potatoes, creating an aromatic bed for the chicken.

I always find that layering lemons like this infuses the whole dish with a wonderful brightness.

Step 4: Arrange Chicken and Begin Roasting

• prepared chicken from Step 1

Lay the seasoned chicken pieces from Step 1 on top of the potatoes, rosemary, and lemon in the prepared pan.

Return the pan to the oven and roast for 30 minutes at 400°F.

This will begin both crisping the chicken skin and infusing the potatoes with the savory chicken juices.

Step 5: Stir Potatoes and Continue Roasting

• chicken and vegetable mixture from Step 4

After 30 minutes of roasting, remove the pan from the oven.

Give the potatoes a thorough stir to ensure they are well coated in the oil and chicken fat.

You may need to temporarily remove the chicken pieces to do this—just be sure to return them to their spots atop the potatoes afterward.

Increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) and return the pan to the oven.

Roast for an additional 20 minutes, then stir the potatoes again, removing and replacing the chicken as needed.

Continue roasting for another 10 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 170°F), the skin is crisp, and the potatoes are browned and tender.

If the potatoes need more time, remove the chicken once it’s done and finish roasting the potatoes as needed.

Step 6: Serve and Garnish

Arrange the roasted chicken and potatoes on a serving platter for a beautiful presentation.

Garnish with some of the roasted lemon slices and fresh rosemary sprigs.

For extra brightness, I sometimes squeeze a little lemon juice over the finished dish just before serving—it really wakes up all the flavors.