How do I make this for a crowd?

For more than one chicken‚ prepare more than one chicken together rather than attempting to cook more than one chicken in a roasting pan․ Prepare a roasting pan that fits each chicken to avoid drying out vegetables and other drippings․ Roasting times will differ depending on the sizes of the chickens․ Use a 15-minute-per-pound guideline as a starting point․ Check both chickens individually for doneness at the inner thigh before carving and serving․

Can I leave out the fennel?

Yes‚ you can leave out the fennel if it would not be a good match for the dish․ The chicken will sit on top of and next to onions and carrots in a roasting pan without fennel‚ but there will be less roasted vegetable matter․ Chop the other vegetables into thick pieces to help keep them from overcooking․ Cover the vegetables with foil halfway through cooking time to keep them from burning․

Can I prep roast chicken ahead?

You can chop the onion‚ carrot‚ and fennel ahead of time․ Roast the chicken close to serving․ The recipe recommends letting the chicken sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes‚ if desired‚ to ensure even cooking․ Measure and prepare thyme‚ garlic‚ lemon‚ butter‚ and other ingredients to have ready for cooking․ Do not carve the chicken until it has sat uncovered for 15-20 minutes after cooking․

Why are my vegetables burning?

Vegetables can cook too quickly in a large roasting pan or if the vegetables are sliced too thinly․ A roasting pan the same size as the chicken pan can use pan drippings to cook vegetables․ Cut rings of carrot and wedges of onion thicker and larger to slow their cooking․ Check the vegetables when you baste and rotate the pan halfway through roasting․ Cover vegetables‚ but not the chicken‚ with foil to slow their cooking․

How do I keep chicken gravy smooth?

Beat butter and flour for one minute․ Beat half of the pan drippings and broth mixture into the butter and flour until smooth․ Beat in the remaining pan drippings and broth mixture for two minutes or until thickened․ Measure pan drippings and add enough broth to make two cups of liquid before making gravy to maintain a consistent amount of liquid in the gravy․

Ina Garten’s Roast Chicken with Thyme, Lemon, Roasted Vegetables, and Gravy

By Olivia HayesSep 29, 2026

Prep

20 min

Cook

90 min

Total

125 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

For a family dinner‚ this recipe for roast chicken serves eight and can be served with pan-roasted carrots‚ onions‚ and fennel on the side․ Thyme‚ lemon‚ and garlic are mixed into the cavity of the chicken․ Gravy is prepared using drippings from the cooked chicken․ High oven temperatures of 425°F help render crispy skin․

Ina Garten’s Roast Chicken with Thyme, Lemon, Roasted Vegetables, and Gravy

A 6-pound chicken is seasoned with salt and pepper and filled with a large bunch of thyme‚ half a head of garlic‚ and a lemon․ The chicken is brushed with melted butter and baked on top of slices of onion‚ carrot‚ and fennel sprinkled with olive oil and thyme․ Baking the chicken on top of these vegetables helps keep the vegetables moist with chicken juices and adds flavor to them․ The juices can also be used to make gravy․

Use pan juices to baste the chicken during cooking and rotate the pan to prevent uneven browning․ Cook until juices run clear and the internal temperature of the chicken thigh meat is 165°F․ One disadvantage of roasting a chicken is selecting a pan that is too large‚ which may lead to overcooked vegetables and insufficient juices for gravy․

Let the cooked chicken rest uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing to help the juices settle back into the meat and the skin stay crisp․ Accompany the chicken with roasted vegetables and gravy‚ as well as mashed potatoes or biscuits and green beans‚ if desired․ Save the carcass and other leftover meat for chicken broth․

Why you'll love this recipe

Serves eight as a main dish with chicken and gravy cooked in the same pan as roasted vegetables, Main dish and gravy are served together in one dish․
Adding ingredients such as lemon‚ garlic‚ and thyme to the bird's cavity season the meat with little effort, The bird does not require extra sauce or marinade․
Roasted carrots‚ onions‚ and fennel are added beneath the chicken to complement it and season the pan juices used in the gravy․
A halfway basting and pan rotation can help home cooks cook more evenly‚ especially if one side of the oven cooks faster than the other side․
Leftover chicken has uses‚ including leftover chicken parts and carcasses that can be used to make chicken stock later․
The gravy is prepared with pan drippings and chicken broth․
These ingredients offer a familiar taste that complements other side dishes‚ such as mashed potatoes and biscuits‚ as well as roasted vegetables․

Instructions

Unwrap the chicken and remove the giblets and/or neck, if included. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.

If possible, let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Season the entire chicken generously with salt and pepper.

Stuff the chicken with the thyme, garlic, and lemon.

Brush the outside of the chicken with the melted butter and season again with salt and pepper.

Use kitchen twine to tie the legs together. Tuck the wings underneath the body of the chicken.

Place the onion, carrots, and fennel on the bottom of a roasting pan.

Season the vegetables with salt, pepper, and 20 sprigs of thyme, then drizzle with olive oil.

Use your hands to toss the vegetables until evenly coated.

Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.

Roast uncovered for 1 1/2 hours.

Halfway through roasting, spoon drippings from the pan over the chicken.

Rotate the pan 180 degrees and return it to the oven.

Check that the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thigh.

Let the chicken rest uncovered for 15-20 minutes before cutting.

Slice and serve with the roasted vegetables.

Pour the chicken drippings into a large measuring cup.

Add chicken broth to the drippings to make 2 cups.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute.

Add half of the drippings-and-broth mixture and whisk until no lumps remain.

Add the remaining liquid and whisk for 2 minutes.

Season the gravy with salt and pepper if desired.

If the chicken needs more color, increase the oven to 500°F, cover already browned areas with foil, and roast about 5 minutes more while watching closely.

FAQ

Serve chicken and roasted vegetables with gravy․ Suggested starch side dishes include mashed potatoes‚ buttermilk biscuits‚ roasted green beans‚ and potato and stuffing casseroles․ Consider serving one starch along with chicken and gravy if gravy is a favorite‚ cooked starch helps absorb gravy․ Let chicken rest uncovered before carving․ Serve vegetables with gravy and chicken together․

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Dinner Chicken American Special Occasions Holiday Thanksgiving

Ina Garten’s Roast Chicken with Thyme, Lemon, Roasted Vegetables, and Gravy

Name: Ina Garten’s Roast Chicken with Thyme, Lemon, Roasted Vegetables, and Gravy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 125 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 6 lb whole chicken; salt (to taste); pepper (to taste); 1 large bunch thyme (plus 20 sprigs); 1 head garlic (cut in half crosswise); 1 lemon (halved); 2 tablespoons butter (melted); 1 large yellow onion (sliced into large chunks); 4 whole carrots (sliced into 4-inch chunks); 1 bulb fennel (tops removed, cut into wedges); 2 tablespoons olive oil (2-3 tablespoons); chicken drippings (from roasting the chicken); cup chicken broth; 3 tablespoons butter (for the gravy); 3 tablespoons flour (for the gravy)

By Olivia HayesSep 29, 2026

Prep

20 min

Cook

90 min

Total

125 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

Serves eight as a main dish with chicken and gravy cooked in the same pan as roasted vegetables, Main dish and gravy are served together in one dish․
Adding ingredients such as lemon‚ garlic‚ and thyme to the bird's cavity season the meat with little effort, The bird does not require extra sauce or marinade․
Roasted carrots‚ onions‚ and fennel are added beneath the chicken to complement it and season the pan juices used in the gravy․
A halfway basting and pan rotation can help home cooks cook more evenly‚ especially if one side of the oven cooks faster than the other side․
Leftover chicken has uses‚ including leftover chicken parts and carcasses that can be used to make chicken stock later․
The gravy is prepared with pan drippings and chicken broth․
These ingredients offer a familiar taste that complements other side dishes‚ such as mashed potatoes and biscuits‚ as well as roasted vegetables․

Ingredients

Servings8

•6 lb whole chicken
•salt (to taste)
•pepper (to taste)
•1 large bunch thyme (plus 20 sprigs)
•1 head garlic (cut in half crosswise)
•1 lemon (halved)
•2 tablespoons butter (melted)
•1 large yellow onion (sliced into large chunks)
•4 whole carrots (sliced into 4-inch chunks)
•1 bulb fennel (tops removed, cut into wedges)
•2 tablespoons olive oil (2-3 tablespoons)
•chicken drippings (from roasting the chicken)
•cup chicken broth
•3 tablespoons butter (for the gravy)
•3 tablespoons flour (for the gravy)

Instructions

1
Unwrap the chicken and remove the giblets and/or neck, if included. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
2
If possible, let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
3
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
4
Season the entire chicken generously with salt and pepper.
5
Stuff the chicken with the thyme, garlic, and lemon.
6
Brush the outside of the chicken with the melted butter and season again with salt and pepper.
7
Use kitchen twine to tie the legs together. Tuck the wings underneath the body of the chicken.
8
Place the onion, carrots, and fennel on the bottom of a roasting pan.
9
Season the vegetables with salt, pepper, and 20 sprigs of thyme, then drizzle with olive oil.
10
Use your hands to toss the vegetables until evenly coated.
11
Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.
12
Roast uncovered for 1 1/2 hours.
13
Halfway through roasting, spoon drippings from the pan over the chicken.
14
Rotate the pan 180 degrees and return it to the oven.
15
Check that the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thigh.
16
Let the chicken rest uncovered for 15-20 minutes before cutting.
17
Slice and serve with the roasted vegetables.
18
Pour the chicken drippings into a large measuring cup.
19
Add chicken broth to the drippings to make 2 cups.
20
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
21
Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute.
22
Add half of the drippings-and-broth mixture and whisk until no lumps remain.
23
Add the remaining liquid and whisk for 2 minutes.
24
Season the gravy with salt and pepper if desired.
25
If the chicken needs more color, increase the oven to 500°F, cover already browned areas with foil, and roast about 5 minutes more while watching closely.