Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Pollo Arrosto con Patate (Roast Chicken and Potatoes)
The classic Sunday family dinner. A whole chicken roasted over potatoes, heavily seasoned with rosemary, garlic, and lemon, resulting in crispy skin and schmaltz-soaked potatoes.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 75 min
- Total
- 90 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- whole chicken (good quality, free-range)
- yellow potatoes (peeled and cubed)
- garlic (whole cloves, smashed)
- fresh rosemary (several sprigs)
- lemon (halved)
- extra virgin olive oil
- coarse sea salt and black pepper
- dry white wine (optional)
Equipment
- Large roasting pan
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Chicken
Take the chicken out of the fridge an hour before cooking. Pat it completely dry inside and out with paper towels.
- 2
Season Inside
Season the cavity generously with salt and pepper. Stuff it with the halved lemon, several smashed garlic cloves, and a large sprig of rosemary.
- 3
Season Outside
Rub the outside of the chicken with olive oil, then massage coarse salt, pepper, and finely chopped rosemary into the skin.
- 4
Prepare Potatoes
In a large bowl, toss the cubed potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, whole garlic cloves, and rosemary leaves.
- 5
Assemble
Spread the potatoes evenly in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the seasoned chicken directly on top of the potatoes.
- 6
Roast
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- 7
Baste
Halfway through cooking, baste the chicken with the pan juices and toss the potatoes so they cook evenly in the chicken fat.
- 8
Check Doneness
The chicken is done when the juices run clear from the thigh (165°F/74°C internal). The potatoes should be dark golden and crispy on the edges.
- 9
Rest
Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.
- 10
Serve
Serve the carved chicken alongside the incredibly flavorful, fat-soaked roasted potatoes.
Cooking Tips
- Cooking the chicken directly on top of the potatoes is the secret; the rendering chicken fat drips down and fries the potatoes in the pan.
- For extra crispy skin, leave the salted chicken uncovered in the fridge overnight before roasting.
Variations
- Pollo al Mattone: Spatchcock the chicken and grill it under a heavy brick for a faster, flatter roast.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The smell of rosemary and roasting chicken wafting from windows is the defining scent of an Italian Sunday afternoon.
Nutrition Estimate
550 calories · 45g protein · 30g carbs · 25g fat · 4g fiber per serving
