Roasted Chicken with Onions, Potatoes, and Gravy

Thanks to his childhood influence, Williams champions the excellence of simple cooking. This dish received our highest rating. All you need to make this a complete meal is a green vegetable and dinner rolls.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 4 ounces chicken, 1 1/3 cups onion mixture, and 1/3 cup gravy)

Ingredients

• 1  (4-pound) roasting chicken
• 1  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 3/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 4  oregano sprigs
• 1  lemon, quartered
• 1  celery stalk, cut into 2-inch pieces
• Cooking spray
• 2  tablespoons  butter, melted
• 2  pounds  medium yellow onions, peeled and each cut into 8 wedges
• 2  pounds  small red potatoes, quartered
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1  (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
• Lemon wedges (optional)
• Fresh oregano sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; rub under loosened skin and over breast and drumsticks. Place oregano, quartered lemon, and celery into body cavity. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Tie legs together with string. Place chicken, breast side up, on the rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.

Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, butter, onions, and potatoes in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Arrange onion mixture around chicken on rack. Place rack in pan. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325° (do not remove pan from oven); bake an additional 1 hour and 15 minutes or until onions and potatoes are tender and a thermometer inserted into meaty part of chicken thigh registers 180°. Set chicken, onions, and potatoes aside; cover and keep warm.

Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour pan drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a small saucepan, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Combine flour and 1/2 cup broth in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and remaining broth to saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes or until gravy thickens, stirring frequently with a whisk. Serve gravy with chicken and onion mixture. Garnish with lemon wedges and oregano sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

430 (24% from fat)

Fat:

11.6g (sat 4g,mono 4.3g,poly 2g)

Protein:

36.9g

Carbohydrate:

43.7g

Fiber:

5.2g

Cholesterol:

113mg

Iron:

3.4mg

Sodium:

654mg

Calcium:

71mg