By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 11, 2026
Serves 4
657 cal · 60 min
Easy Roast Chicken with Asparagus and Leeks
Recipe GLPRacde846e7955eb
A classic French-inspired one-pan roasted chicken dish featuring a butterflied bird seasoned simply with salt and pepper, accompanied by tender asparagus and leeks. The vegetables roast alongside the chicken, absorbing its natural juices and aromatics, resulting in a complete, elegant meal ready in about an hour.
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Ingredients
1 whole butterflied chicken (about 4 pounds), neck and backbone reserved
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large leeks, whites and light green parts trimmed, washed, and split lengthwise
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus stalks, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Preheat your oven to 475°F. Pat the butterflied chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the reserved neck and backbone in a roasting pan along with the bay leaves. Arrange the seasoned chicken skin-side up over the bones.
Roast the chicken for 20 minutes at 475°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and continue roasting for another 15–20 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
While the chicken roasts, prepare the vegetables. Toss the leek halves and asparagus stalks with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
When the chicken has roasted for 20 minutes total (after the initial high-heat phase), arrange the dressed leeks and asparagus around the chicken in the pan, nestling them into the space around the bird.
Continue roasting at 400°F until the chicken reaches 165°F internally and the asparagus is tender and lightly caramelized, about 15–20 minutes more.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken, vegetables, and pan juices to a serving platter. Discard the neck, backbone, and bay leaves. Serve hot.
Comments
A whole roasted chicken with vegetables is cheap and straightforward—a four-pound bird at Harris Teeter or Food Lion runs $12–$15, asparagus and leeks another $5–$7, landing under $6 per serving. All ingredients are standard at every Charlotte chain. The stated 60 minutes is honest for roasting at 425°F plus resting, though you'll need an extra 10 minutes for chopping leeks and prepping the pan. This is a one-sheet dinner that feeds a family with minimal fussing; you season, roast, and serve with almost no active work. Leftovers shred into salads or chicken salad the next day, and the bones make stock. The only mild catch is asparagus's narrow spring-peak season in the Carolinas—late April through early June—so October through February means imported spears at a slight premium, though still a reasonable staple.
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