How long does it take to make Roast Chicken?

Bake chicken pieces with potatoes covered for about an hour and a quarter (200°C (390°F), then 170°C (340°F)), and finish uncovered 10–20 minutes to brown.

2 hr 16 minTotal

16 minActive time

2 hrSetting

Step by Step

#	What to do	How long
1	Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Mix the oil, garlic, paprika, salt and black pepper and rub the mixture into the chicken	1 min
2	Marinate the chicken in the mixture 30 minutes, or up to a few hours in the fridge	30 min
3	Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F)	12 min
4	Scatter the onion over the bottom of the pan	1 min
5	Toss the potatoes in the rest of the mixture and arrange in the pan	1 min
6	Place the chicken on top, skin side up	1 min
7	Bake tightly covered with foil 30 minutes	1 hr 15 min
8	Bake uncovered, after basting again with the juices, 10–20 minutes	15 min

How to Tell It's Done

until the chicken starts to cook
until the chicken is browned and the potatoes are tender

Tips

Dry the chicken before seasoning so the mixture clings to the skin; a longer marinade gives deeper color and flavor.
Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
Bake covered so the chicken steams and stays juicy, then finish uncovered: only then does the skin brown and caramelize.

Common Mistakes

Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.

More Ways

Roast a whole chicken (1.25–1.5 kg) in an oven preheated to 225°C (435°F): 5 minutes on each side, then about an hour breast side up.

The full recipe: Roast Chicken →

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