Lemon Rosemary Roast Chicken and White Beans
This one-pan Lemon Rosemary Roast Chicken and White Beans is a quick, throw everything together and roast until done kind of meal with very little prep and maximum flavour.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4-pound (1.4 to 1.8 kg) whole chicken *see notes on cook times
- Kosher salt to taste
- 2 540 ml (19 oz) cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 lemon sliced and divided
- 1 head garlic cloves separated, and skins removed
- Fresh rosemary a mix of whole sprigs and leaves to taste
- ¾ cup (175 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425˚F (220ºC).
- Blot dry the chicken all over, including the cavity, with paper towels and generously season with kosher salt. (If time allows, see notes below for seasoning the chicken and letting it rest overnight.)
- To a 9-13-inch baking dish, add beans, all but two slices or ends of the lemon, garlic cloves and rosemary. Drizzle olive oil over and toss. Pour in broth. Set whole chicken atop the bean mixture and insert remaining lemon slices and a few sprigs of rosemary into the chicken cavity. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and a little more over the beans, just enough to keep the beans from drying out.
- Roast the chicken until the outside is deeply golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165˚F (75ºC) on a digital thermometer, about 60 to 80 minutes. If you have a large bird (5 pounds), plan on adding more time, checking in 5-minute increments so that you don’t overcook it. For smaller birds (3 pounds), start checking at 50 to 60 minutes.
- Remove chicken from oven and let rest in pan for 10-15 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to a platter or cutting board. Remove aromatics from the cavity, carve and serve together with bean mixture and any sides of your choosing.
Notes
Beans: I’ve used white kidney, cannellini, butter beans and chickpeas in this recipe, they’re all delicious options.
Overnight dry brine: Seasoning the chicken with kosher salt can be done the night before, and the chicken left uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or up to 48 hours. Called a dry brine, this technique deeply seasons the meat and will result in crispier skin. Even removing the chicken from the refrigerator and seasoning it well one hour before roasting will give you a better result. If doing an overnight brine, be sure to use a new baking dish or pan (one that hasn’t been in the refrigerator) when you’re ready to roast.
Baking dish: If you don’t have a 9x13-inch baking dish, you can also use a cast iron pan or roasting pan.
Storage: Leftover chicken and beans will keep well in airtight containers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat in the oven or on stovetop with a little more broth if needed.