Hearty Peasant Roast Chicken
Roast Chicken with Roasted Vegetables and Mushrooms
...for all the traditional food lovers!
I prepared my staple hearty peasant roast chicken for the first time when I was quite young, about 17 or 18 years old. Old English cookbooks helped develop this recipe. When I made it the first time, I felt childishly happy. It seemed like such a delicious and hearty meal that created a sense of pleasure. As so, it has remained in my memory, and I have not been disappointed in the following times either. Somehow I got it exactly right immediately, with no additional recipe testing necessary.
If compared to some old pretty calorie tense peasant recipes, I only slightly changed the amount of fat used (which otherwise would have been colossal). Also instead of butter, I this time used clarified butter, or "ghee". It is a product developed within the traditional Indian health science of Ayurveda, close to my heart. I will not write more about ghee now, but you can find a lot of information about it on the Internet. For example here: Ghee. Of course, you can also use butter or oil of your choice. Can't stop myself mentioning that butter would definitely be better choice in this recipe than vegetable oil. Both butter and ghee give this dish a special mouth-watering character.
What’s the second secret ingredient to an unforgettable roast chicken? Let’s find out! I can give you a hint that it's another type of meat....
Yes, your answer is correct: it's BACON! Bacon gives extra smokiness and another type of fat to the whole and it's needless to say that it just goes SO well together with mushrooms.
Hearty Peasant Roast Chicken is a comforting dish rooted in tradition and flavor.
The roast combines tender, juicy chicken with rustic vegetables and whole mushroom buttons. Season the chicken with spice mixes that contain garlic and paprika. Finish it with fresh herbs, such as parsley and dill. Add a bay leaf before roasting to create a hint of classic traditional flavor. Root vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots that are roasted alongside, absorb the rich juices and adding a sweet contrast. Cut them into large chunks and spread them in the roasting pan next to the chicken (follow the instructions below on the recipe card).
For seasoning, I mainly used a natural chicken seasoning with garlic. There are many options on the market, a great one for example is Marion Kay Garlicy Chicken.
One more trick: traditionally, refined white wheat or corn flour thickens liquids in dishes, but I recommend whole wheat flour. I have used whole grain wheat, rye flour, buckwheat flour, and various other healthy flour when thickening sauces. In addition to the nutritional value, they add a lot of extra earthiness to the taste!
Perfect pairings for this roast:
The Peasant Roast Chicken goes well with freshly baked rustic bread. If it feels too overwhelming, then of course you don't need to bake the bread yourself. Just grab it at the nearest small local bakery and support the makers who get up at 3-4 a.m. to bake bread for us! The juice that is extracted from these delicious ingredients, especially the chicken, is so irresistible that you just need a delicious sponge to soak it up with.
I often turn people's attention to the fact that, if possible, they should use organic ingredients, especially meat. I'm not a vegan, but I would still like my protein to be cruelty-free.
However, I completely understand that it is much more expensive. If you can't afford it, then it is what it is, and you shouldn't blame yourself for it. The most important thing is that you eat well, cook as much as you can, and do your best to include a variety of natural food categories and at least 50% local produce. If you do that, you're a winner anyway!
This meal is rich, especially if you add bread as well. If you serve it as a family dinner or for your guests, you might want to have a lighter and lower-carb dessert, such as my: Roasted Oatmeal Mousse!
One thing that I often encounter in recipes, both online and in books and cooking shows, is that the preparation times are stated very boldly. Usually, a beginner cook needs twice as much active time for prepping the food than the recipe promises. Even I often take longer than the given times!
Therefore, in this blog, I have tried to be realistic about the recipe times because I know the frustration of discovering that you will never get your dish ready by the time you had counted on. Maybe you have guests coming or, even worse, hungry kids waiting...
Two hours for this roast chicken is a beautifully relaxed cooking time, and you don't have to worry about the clock!
This one-pan meal fills the belly and warms the soul, making it perfect for family gatherings or cozy dinners. Its simple preparation makes it accessible, while the satisfying taste keeps everyone returning for more. It combines soft chunks of root vegetables and crusty potatoes with falling-apart crispy skin chicken and plump whole small mushrooms. It’s a one-pan dish and therefore super easy to make: no overwhelming technique is required. Let's dive into how to make this mouthwatering dish, starting with the ingredients you'll need.
- 2 large chicken thighs (You can leave out the thighs and use only fillets if you want to make it lean, but I don't recommend it :))
- 2 large chicken fillets (You can leave out the fillets and use only thighs or replace the fillets with drumsticks. If using drumsticks, you need 2 sticks instead of 1 fillet)
- 5 large potatoes (Peeled, if they're not in season)
- 5 slices smoked bacon
- 3 large carrots (Peeled, if they're not in season)
- 5 medium onions
- 150 g small brown button mushrooms (Can be replaced with white button mushrooms, but try to keep them small)
- 2 heaping tbsp ghee or soft butter
- freshly ground black pepper
- Your favorite garlicy chicken seasoning (Such as the one from the Marion Kay spice range that I referred to above)
- 5 dl chicken stock (I use an organic chicken stock cube)
- 3 heaping tbsp whole wheat flour (Or rye, buckwheat, spelt or whatever whole grain flour (as explained above))
- 2 small (or 1 large) Bay leaf
- 1 tsp ground paprika
- Fresh dill and parsley for serving
- Preparing the veggiesPeel the potatoes and carrots if necessary (read the note above).
- Preparing the onionsPeel the onions.
- Preparing the oven Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Preparing the chicken coatingMix the flour with the chicken seasoning, salt, and pepper and spread the mixture on a plate.
- Frying the chicken to get a crispy skinCut the large chicken fillets in half to make them more or less uniform, plump pieces. Now roll all the chicken pieces in the spice-flour mixture. Heat a pan with ghee or butter on the stove and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Place them in a baking pan to wait.
- Preparing the baconNow cut the bacon into large square pieces.
- Cutting the onionsCut the onions into quarters.
- Preparing the mushrooms
Do not cut the mushrooms at all, provided they are small. The idea is to make a rustic oven dish with large pieces. Rinse them though to get rid of any dirt and dry thoroughly patting with kitchen towel
- Chopping the vegetablesAlso, chop the potatoes and carrots into oblong pieces for the potatoes and thick slices for the carrots.
- Frying the condiments
Fry the bacon, onion, and mushrooms in a pan for a few minutes, using the fat from the bacon. Add the flour leftover from rolling the chicken to the pan, lower the heat, and thoroughly mix everything in the pan with the flour.
- Preparing the stock liquidAt the same time, boil water in a pitcher and pour it over the stock cube in a separate pot. Mix well; there is no need to boil, as the cube dissolves in hot water. If you're using a ready-made stock, then of course skip this step and instead of it just heat the stock until hot.
- SeasoningSlowly pour the prepared stock into the pan, stirring constantly. Add paprika and black pepper, and check the saltiness, season if needed.
- Ready to go to the oven!Place the potato and carrot pieces in the pan next to the chicken, and then pour the prepared sauce mixture over the bacon and mushrooms. Add the bay leaf to the pan as well.
- BakingBake for about 40 minutes in the center part of tehe oven, covered with foil and then 20 minutes without foil. I use the oven mode, which heats from both top and bottom for this dish.
- Evaluating the consistency
When you remove the foil, you can see if you like the consistency of the roast; if you want a more liquid stew, add hot water little by little.
- Ready for serving!
When the roast is ready, remove the bay leaf, let the chicken rest as described in the helpful notes below, and sprinkle with chopped parsley and dill before serving, or choose your favorite herb. Have a fresh crusty homely bread on the side.
Basting for Juicy and Flavorful Meat
Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the thigh. Aim for 165°F (75°C). This guarantees juicy, perfectly cooked chicken.
Every 20-30 minutes, scoop the pan juices and drizzle them over the chicken. This keeps it moist and flavorful.
Preventing Dry Chicken: Mastering the Art of Resting
After removing the chicken from the oven, let it rest for at least 15 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute, keeping every bite succulent.
Creative Leftover Ideas: Salads, Sandwiches, Soups
Don't let leftovers go to waste! Chop up the chicken for a hearty salad or add it to a sandwich. You can even simmer it into a comforting soup.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave to preserve texture and flavor.
Hey, my name is Helena-Laura and I love food.
I'm pretty obsessed with all my creative ideas about it. Like many of us, self-taught foodies, my professional life had been evolving in other areas for many years. However, the last 10 years (starting with the birth of my sweet daughter in 2014) have convinced me that there's no way back and my future will be about cooking and baking. To better understand some of the milestones I have had on my food journey, you're welcome to read the About section.
Thanks for making, rating and sharing this recipe!