Bundt Pan Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

An update on beer-can chicken that can be cooked right in your oven!

Welcome to your new favorite way to roast chicken: in a bundt pan!

Yes, that’s right. I heard about this idea from a friend who said this has become her new favorite way to cook a whole chicken. It really just takes a few minutes of prep to rub the chicken with spices and chop up the vegetables. So easy, and the results are just stunning. Just choose your favorite spice rub and you’re in business. I chose a Southwest rub because I love a little heat to the mix.

This is roast chicken perfection: crispy spicy skin and moist and flavorful meat. The chicken meat is moist and flavorful and the veggies absorb all those yummy chicken juices and become soft and velvety. Just a delicious way to cook chicken, and yet easy enough for a weeknight.

Remember the “beer can” method of cooking chicken? You can make chicken with a honey glaze, chicken on the grill, or even chicken with root beer. So many variations out there. This method involves placing the chicken on the center post of the bundt pan with the vegetables scattered on the bottom. The beauty of this method is that those delectable juices do not get lost or “burnt” onto the pan. I just recently bought a new bundt pan after all these decades (my original bundt pan was given to me 40 years ago as a wedding present!). It is a Wilton non-stick pan with handles – love it!

I wanted to try this indoor version because I had heard that the chicken turns out juicy and the skin is crispy. I am happy to confirm that all the rumors are true!

Not only is the chicken perfectly cooked this way, but I love what the juices do for the vegetables. They are the star of this dish!

BUNDT PAN ROASTED CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES RECIPE

Ingredients

• 1 small whole roasting chicken, about 3 pounds
• Cooking oil spray
• About 3 tablespoons of spice rub
• 2 cups butternut squash in 1-inch cubes
• 10 to 12 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 cup diced onion

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Clean the chicken and remove any chicken parts that have been stuffed into the cavity. Rub the outside of the chicken with the spice rub.
3. Scatter the vegetables in the bottom of the bundt pan. Place the chicken cavity firmly on the post in the middle of the bundt pan. Spray the chicken with the cooking oil.
4. Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes (if you have a handy thermometer, the chicken should register at 165 degrees).
5. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving. Toss veggies in all the yummy juice!