Skillet Roast Chicken With Potatoes and Spring Onions Recipe Befitting 'The Big Chill'

Our Dinner and a Movie series features nostalgic essays on some of our favorite films from the '80s and '90s paired with recipes inspired from movie moments. Don't miss our essay on The Big Chill.

What better dish to accompany the graceful departure from collegiate hopeful into temperate adult than a perfect skillet roast chicken (not a turkey), served with spring onions and new potatoes? You can almost imagine The Big Chill’s Sarah Cooper serving it for just a few of her dearest friends. And now you can, too.

Skillet Roast Chicken

• 1 whole chicken (3–4 pounds), organic if possible
• 1½ pounds baby red “new” potatoes, skin-on
• 1 spring onion, cut into eighths, greens trimmed (note: if you cannot find spring onions, you can use a small, traditional white onion instead)
• 6 sprigs rosemary
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Note: The first two steps can be done up to a day in advance

Three to 4 hours before you plan to roast the chicken, remove it from the wrapping and set it breast-side down on a plate that has been covered with a paper towel. Using a sharp pair of shears or a knife, trim the excess fat and cut the wing tips. Manchonner the legs, or cut around the bottom part of each bone, where the tendon and leg bone meet, making sure to sever the tendon completely.

Place a piece of paper towel atop the chicken and leave the bird in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Remove from the stems the leaves from three of the sprigs of rosemary and mince them finely. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the rosemary with the potatoes, spring onions, 3 of the garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and a handful of salt and pepper. The potatoes should be left whole, but particularly large potatoes can be halved or quartered for uniformity in cooking. Stir to combine and set aside.

Thirty minutes before you plan to cook the chicken, remove the bird from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature on the kitchen counter. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the remaining rosemary and garlic inside the cavity of the chicken and season the interior and exterior of the bird liberally with salt and pepper.

Using a 12-inch cast iron pan (or larger), heat the remaining olive oil on the stovetop over medium-high heat until the oil ripples but does not smoke. Using either clean hands or kitchen tongs, place the bird in the hot oil on its side, so that one leg and thigh is in direct contact with the pan. Cook for 3 minutes, until the skin is brown and easily releases when nudged.