Charcoal-roasted Chicken and Root Vegetables

If you’re tired of buying bland roasted chicken from the supermarket or want to branch out from cooking with gas, then try out our recipe for charcoal-roasted chicken and root vegetables. It’s the ideal meal for when you’re craving something smoky and satisfying but don't want to spend hours over a hot grill or in the kitchen.

Before cooking, we like to spread our chicken skin with butter for that enticing golden brown colour that’s always a crowd-pleaser (and mouth waterer!). The chicken is then placed on top of sliced turnips, garlic, potatoes, onions and carrots and coal-roasted in a pan for 75 to 90 minutes. The result is crispy and slightly charred on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside chicken that balances nicely with the slight sweetness of the root veggies.

Serve with whimsical pumpkin-shaped rolls to make it a festive affair (and to mop up the extra juices!), and enjoy with three of your closest friends or family. 


Difficulty

Servings

Dinner for 4

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour 30 minutes

By Ooni HQ

Charcoal-roasted Chicken and Root Vegetables

Note

We tested this recipe using our new roasting pan, made from stainless steel and designed to withstand the temperatures of an Ooni, but it also works just as well without charcoal in home ovens. If using a different pan, just ensure it can withstand max temps of 400 °C. When using charcoal, we recommend choosing high-quality and food-grade charcoal, such as our Premium Lumpwood Charcoal. 


For the vegetables

1. Cut all your vegetables into 1 ¼-centimetre (½-inch) thick slices.

Place into a bowl along with the quartered lemon and a bunch of thyme.

2. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and layer the bottom of your roasting pan with the vegetables.

 

For the chicken

1. Fill the bottom of your fuel tray with an even layer of lumpwood charcoal (about 0.

5 kilograms). Light the charcoal with a firestarter and preheat the oven to 260 °C, keeping the oven door closed. This will take about 15 minutes, and you can use the infrared thermometer to quickly and accurately check the temperature of the pizza stone. If cooking in your home oven, preheat the oven to  200 °C.

Tip: It’s important that the temperature doesn't climb above 260 °C, so regulate the heat by adding only small amounts of extra charcoal when needed. If the oven temperature gets too hot, close the chimney baffle to restrict the airflow.



2. Season your chicken with salt and pepper, then stuff the cavity with lemon, garlic and thyme.

3. Spread the butter over the entire chicken skin – this will help it get a nice golden brown colour.

Two hands holding an Ooni Roasting Pan with an uncooked chicken with sliced turnips, garlic, potatoes, onions and carrots over a kitchen counter.

4. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, cover loosely with foil and put it into the oven.

 

5. Check the chicken every 10 to 15 minutes, keeping the oven between 200 to 232 °C.

Cook until the internal temperature is 75 °C inside the thickest part, about 75 to 90 minutes. Use the internal thermometer to check this. 

If cooking in your home oven, put the chicken in the oven—no foil necessary. Cook until the internal temperature is 70 °C inside the thickest part, about 75 to 90 minutes. Use the internal thermometer to check this.

6. When the internal temperature of the chicken is at 70 °, take the foil off and brown the skin for the final part of cooking.

 

7. Wearing your oven gloves, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes – this will let the juices settle back into the meat.

8. Toss the vegetables in the pan juices, and serve beside the chicken.

Enjoy!

Ooni HQ

From wood-fired flavour to gas-powered consistency to electrified convenience, you can use Ooni's portable pizza ovens in the kitchen, backyard or beyond.

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