This Simple Whole Roasted Chicken proves that simple, wholesome ingredients are always the most delicious. Marinated in a gourmet datil pepper sauce, the flavors of this dish will have your taste buds singing in praise.
Thank you to Del Viejo for sponsoring this post. As always, the recipe, photos and opinions are my own. Thank you for your continuous support of The Blissful Balance.
If you are a close friend or longtime follower of The Blissful Balance, you know that I am not a fan of spicy food.
If you are culinary extraordinaire, or culinary student, you know that datil peppers are infamous.
Infamous for not only being the most rare of peppers in existence, but for being in the 100,000 to 300,000 range of the Scoville Scale. Competing with such peppers as the habanero and the Jamaican hot pepper. Not really meant for someone whose spice tolerance is that of an ice burg. So naturally, sharing a recipe featuring this pepper seems a bit off. But, trust me, it was really effing good.
What I’m referring to is the Del Viejo Datil Pepper Marinade I used to marinade this 7lb chicken. I’ll admit – I was a little scared. Seriously… I have trouble eating a burrito bowl from Chipotle. But this marinade was the perfect amount of bursting flavors with a hint of spice.
I love roasting chicken because it brings out SO much flavor. This marinade definitely added an extra hint of sweet, tangy, and spicy. And to bring out some more juices and flavors, I stuffed the inside of the chicken with half a head of garlic, half of a lemon, and a few sprigs of thyme. You bet my kitchen smelled good.
To make my life easier, I simply roasted the chicken atop our side dish: roasted veggies. There is no combination better than roasted meat and vegetables. The vegetables, which roasted beneath the bird, soaked up all of that juicy goodness and the flavors of the marinade. And to think how simple it was to achieve these stunning flavors.
Look at those veggies swimming in juicy flavor!
[Tweet “The definition of efficiency: whole chicken roasted atop mixed veggies”]
I like to have a bit of a char (okay, maybe more than a bit) on my roasted chicken, but you can roast it however long you want according to your char preference.
This was the perfect meal to feed the family on Saturday night. Everyone was here: my parents, Christian, my sister and my brother-in-law. And we had leftovers! I served the meal with some dinner rolls, which were the perfect vehicle for soaking up any remaining juices on our plates.
[Tweet “Datil Pepper Roasted Chicken with Roasted Veggies”]
- 1 (5-7lb) whole chicken
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- 1/2 cup Del Viejo datil pepper marinade
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 head garlic
- Bunch of fresh thyme (5-6 sprigs)
- 1 onion, sliced into small chunks
- 10-12 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 10 purple baby potatoes, cut into fourths
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Brush chicken with melted butter. Pour marinade on top. Place in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Add the 1/2 lemon, 1/2 garlic head, and 4 sprigs thyme into the center cavity of the chicken.
- Place the carrots, onion and potatoes all around the chicken.
- Sprinkle vegetables with salt, olive oil, lemon juice, and 2 fresh sprigs of thyme (use your fingers to slide down the sprigs to only utilize the leaves, not the stem).
- Place on the bottom rack of the oven and roast for 1.5 hours.
- After time is up, place your oven on high broil and broil the chicken for about 8-10 minutes.
Fun fact: datil peppers are only grown in St. Augustine, FL! To learn more about Del Viejo and the legend of Fernando Del Viejo, click here.
Join the conversation:
Have you ever tried something so hot it made you cry (out of your control)?
Are you a fan of spicy food, or are you a wimp like me? (wimps unite!!)
How do you prefer your veggies? Roasted, steamed, sauteed, or raw?
ACKTIVE LIFE says
LOVE LOVE LOVE spicy food! I put red pepper flakes and hot sauce on basically every lunch and dinner…And yes I have totally overdone it sometimes and it was not fun! I didn’t use to be a spicy food fan, until I lived in California and ate ALL the Mexican food and then my taste buds totally changed!
The Blissful Balance says
I absolutely love Mexican food so it’s always such a downer for me when the salsa at the restaurants is super spicy hahaha
Emily @ My Healthyish Life says
Roasted chicken and veggies is one of my all-time FAVORITE meals! We already talked about this but not a spicy fan over here. Wimps unite!
The Blissful Balance says
#WIMPS4LYFE
rachel at athletic avocado says
I am not a huge fan of spicy food but I’ll take your word for this marinade, it sounds delicious! Chicken and veggies is always my go-to favorite meal, so simple and tasty!
The Blissful Balance says
Yeah I literally can’t handle a jar of medium salsa, so believe me this wasn’t spicy hahah I am such a baby.
Parker Stewart says
I’m highly impressed by how simple yet decadent this recipe is. It makes my family so happy that you were willing to try the marinade; now it is our turn to try this roasted chicken recipe!
Stay awesome, Christina, and best of luck with your new BGB Community!
The Blissful Balance says
Thanks so much, Parker! Again, we loved the marinade – it’s been a pleasure working with you!! Thank you for your kind words!
Cailee says
YUM! This looks amazing! Roasted chicken and veggies is the best! That’s what I call true comfort food! Good for your body… and soul! Thanks for sharing girl! Hope that you’re having a great day!
The Blissful Balance says
Thanks Cailee!! Have a wonderful Friday <3
Rachel (LittleChefBigAppetite) says
GIRLFRIENDDDDD! Can you get a more perfect crispy skin!? That looks AH-MAZE.
The Blissful Balance says
hehe thanks Rachel!! <3
Elaine @ FoodParsed says
I’m fond of spicy foods, but only in moderation. Once, I accidentally poured in a whole tablespoon of red pepper flakes into a dish, and my mouth was dying! This chicken looks amazing, crispy, and super flavorful. Roasted veggies are the best, and I love how they cook along with the chicken. Fewer dishes are always good.
The Blissful Balance says
Oh gosh!!! Yeah my mouth would have a freak out. And that’s always the goal – less to clean up!!
Dani @ Dani California Cooks says
I roasted my first whole chicken in the fall, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was and how IMPRESSIVE it looked when it turned out! I’ve done it multiple times again – so festive and delicious.
When my family was in Thailand when I was younger, we had a couple of spicy meals that made us sweat and cry in the best of ways! I remember just downing bowls of rice trying to calm the heat.
The Blissful Balance says
Right? #gourmet hahah. Oh my goodness I would die lmao I cannot handle spicy food!!!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors says
This has got to be one of the prettiest chickens I’ve ever seen. I must try this marinade, I wonder how it would be on fish? Thanks for awesome recipe, pining to try!
The Blissful Balance says
Thanks so much, Sam! I think it would be great on fish. It does have a hint of BBQ though so that’s why I used meat.
GiGi Eats says
I’ve never roasted a whole chicken by myself before but it’s about time I start ADULTING and roast one already! LOL! I friggin ADORE chicken!!!
The Blissful Balance says
It’s so super easy you have to try it soon!!
Jess @hellotofit says
Clearly I am no aficionado…I had no idea what datil peppers were!! I loooove me a roasted chicken – quick and easy way to have protein for a few days (or a week, if it’s just me in the house). YUM.
Katrina says
I’m really excited to try this recipe! Where do I find Del Viejo datil pepper marinade? Is it best to order online?