Slow-Roasted Whole Chicken with Fennel, Sweet Potatoes, and Mushrooms on the Big Green Egg

A Delicious Single Pan Meal on a Kamado-Style Grill

Ah, the smell of a juicy, perfectly cooked chicken on the grill – no wonder it’s one of the most popular dishes for backyard barbecue enthusiasts. But if you’re looking for a unique and delicious way to up your grilled chicken game, you’ve got to try slow roasting a whole chicken on your kamado grill.

First, let's talk about why a kamado grill is ideal for slow-roasting chicken. The kamado is designed to keep heat inside its ceramic walls, providing a consistent and even temperature throughout. This design, along with the ability to control airflow through its bottom and top vents, allows for precise temperature control, making it an ideal tool for low-and-slow cooking.

When it comes to the actual cooking process, the key to a perfectly roasted chicken is to maintain a steady temperature. Preheat your kamado grill to between 240-275 degrees F (for this cook I did 275) and set it up for indirect heat by placing the chicken on a raised rack / place setter. This will allow the air to circulate all around the chicken, resulting in even cooking.

To keep your chicken moist and tender throughout the cooking process, you'll want to baste it every 30 minutes or so. In this recipe, I use a mixture of olive oil and the poultry spice I rub on the chicken.

.

Now let's talk about adding flavor. You can use lump charcoal alone for a less smoky flavor or add wood chunks to the fire for a more distinct smoky flavor. For this recipe, milder flavors, are desired, so try fruitwoods like apple or cherry.

Let's get into the recipe. We're going to showcase this delicious chicken by pairing it with fennel, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms, which provide a variety of textures and flavors. So grab your apron, and let's get to grilling!

The Ingredients

For this recipe, you will need:

• 1 whole chicken (about 5-6 pounds)

• 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into quarters

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

• 8 oz. Portobello mushrooms, washed and sliced

• 1/4 cup olive oil (plus extra for basting if desired)

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 lemon, halved

• Poultry Seasoning

• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparing the Chicken

To prepare the chicken, you will need to rinse it with cold water and then pat it dry with paper towels. Next, you will need to season it with poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper, being sure to coat both the outside and the inside of the bird. Add the halved lemon to the chicken’s cavity. This will give some additional citrus flavor and help keep it juicy and moist.

Preparing the Vegetables

To prepare the vegetables, you will need to trim and cut the fennel bulbs into quarters. If you've never worked wit fennel before, see below - you are looking to use the bulb portion.

Next peel and cut the sweet potatoes into half inch chunks. Finally, slice the mushrooms. Once all the vegetables are prepped, you can toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slice the garlic cloves in half and add them to the vegetables.

Grilling the Chicken and Vegetables

To grill the chicken and vegetables, you will need to preheat your Big Green Egg or Kamado-style grill to around 250-275°F. Once the grill is heated, you can place the chicken on the grill and let it cook for about 2 ½ hours (or until the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F.. After an hour or so, you can add the bowl of seasoned vegetables to the grill, placing it around the chicken. The amount of time you let the vegetables and mushrooms join the party depends on how thick you have cut them. Let everything cook together for the remainder of the cook (about an hour and a half additional).

If desired, you can baste the chicken with olive oil and poultry seasoning.

Serving the Chicken and Vegetables

Once the chicken and vegetables are fully cooked, remove them from the grill and let them cool for a few minutes. Before serving, you can drizzle some fresh lemon juice over the chicken and vegetables for an extra zing. Slice the chicken and plate it with the vegetables on the side. Enjoy your delicious meal!

Slow-roasting a whole chicken on the grill is truly a treat, and when paired with fennel, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms, it's a meal you won't soon forget. The Big Green Egg Kamado-style grill is perfect for achieving juicy and flavorful meat, and the combination of ingredients in this recipe will take your taste buds to the next level. We hope that you give this recipe a try and enjoy creating this delicious dish. Don't forget to use our recipe card template to help guide you through the steps! Happy grilling!