4 People
5 mins
1 hr
Easy Roast Chicken with Asparagus and Leeks: A Simple, Flavorful Feast!
Looking for a dinner that’s both easy to prepare and bursting with flavor? Our Easy Roast Chicken with Asparagus and Leeks is your new go-to recipe for a hearty, comforting meal that will impress with minimal effort. The chicken comes out golden and crispy, while the asparagus and leeks soak up all those delicious, savory juices for a side that’s just as mouthwatering. It’s the perfect one-pan meal that’s as elegant as it is effortless!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Perfectly Roasted Chicken: Golden, crispy skin with juicy, tender meat inside—this roast chicken is cooked to perfection every time. It’s the kind of dish that makes you feel like a master chef with minimal work.
- Flavorful Veggies: The asparagus and leeks cook alongside the chicken, absorbing all those rich, savory flavors, creating the perfect side dish that compliments the chicken beautifully.
- One-Pan Wonder: Easy cleanup and minimal prep time—just pop everything in the oven and let it roast to perfection! Less time in the kitchen means more time enjoying your meal.
- Healthy & Delicious: Light, fresh veggies paired with lean roasted chicken make for a satisfying, balanced meal that won’t leave you feeling weighed down.
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Ingredients
1 whole butterflied chicken (about 4 pounds, see note), neck and backbone reserved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large leeks, whites and greens reserved separately, whites trimmed, washed, and split in half lengthwise
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds asparagus stalks, trimmed and peeled if necessary
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoons butter
Directions
- Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 500°F (260°C). Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season on all sides generously with salt and pepper. Line heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place chicken on foil, skin-side up. Transfer to oven and roast until thickest part of breast registers 150°F (66°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes (see note). Remove from oven, transfer chicken to a cutting board, and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
- While chicken roasts, make jus. Chop neck and backbone into 1-inch chunks with a cleaver, heavy chef’s knife, or poultry shears. Place in a medium saucepan and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add leek greens and bay leaves and cover with water. Simmer for 30 minutes, then strain, discarding solids. You should have about 2 cups of jus.
- Place leek whites in a large saucepan and pour chicken jus on top. After chicken comes out of oven, bring leeks to simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and allow to cook until leeks are tender and chicken is ready to serve, about 15 minutes. Season leeks and jus to taste with salt and pepper.
- While chicken rests, place asparagus in the now-empty pan that the chicken was roasted in. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven and roast until tender and browned, about 10 minutes.
- Carve chicken into serving pieces. Transfer leeks to serving platter with a slotted spoon, leaving jus in pan. Stir butter into jus until emulsified. Transfer asparagus and chicken to serving platter and pour jus all around. Serve immediately.
From weeknight dinners to impressing guests at a dinner party, Easy Roast Chicken with Asparagus and Leeks is an all-around winner. It’s a no-fuss, flavor-packed dish that proves you don’t need complicated ingredients to create something extraordinary!
Notes:
For crispest skin and best results use an air-dried chicken. To butterfly a chicken, use poultry shears, a cleaver, or a heavy chef’s knife to remove the chicken’s backbone. Lay chicken out flat with breast facing up. Pull legs out to sides so that entire chicken is skin-side up. Press down firmly on breast with hands to flatten.
I cook my chickens to 140°F, though you may want to cook them hotter if you are squeamish about food safety (150°F is very safe, 165°F is what the USDA recommends. Your chicken will be hopelessly dry by this point).
