Thanksgiving Menu: Roast Chicken Dinner

Go ahead and skip the turkey this year, and go for more nontraditional Thanksgiving dinner ideas instead. Serving chicken can be a great, crowd-pleasing alternative to turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Sweet, savory, and holiday-time spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, come together in this juicy roasted chicken recipe.

This roast chicken with vegetables comes with a built-in side in the form of roasted carrots, parsnips, beets, and any other root veggies you have on hand. You can't get much better than this easy recipe, and the simple seasonings pair well with almost any side. This classic roasted chicken recipe will be a surefire hit, even among guests who firmly believe that Thanksgiving turkey is a must.

If you want to mix up your Thanksgiving dinner menu a little more than just a plain roasted chicken, opt for this citrus version instead. The salty-tangy combo of orange slices and crispy bacon help this holiday entree taste as amazing as it looks. Putting together this recipe might look complicated, but it'll only occupy 15 minutes of hands-on time when you're working on your Thanksgiving feast.

Give your spice rack a workout by serving this roast chicken recipe for Thanksgiving dinner. A mix of basil, sage, and thyme gives this recipe its name and signature flavor. Just imagine how good your Thanksgiving gravy will be with drippings from this juicy, seasoned bird!

Slow-cooking this Thanksgiving side dish helps keep chaos out of the kitchen on the big day. One bite of these buttery, garlicky mashed potatoes and you'll melt into an instant state of comfort. After all, we can't think of anything we like eating with roast chicken more than mashed potatoes!

Whether it's Thanksgiving dinner or not, roast chicken with vegetables just can't be beat. Roasting carrots with sweet and enticing flavors like hazelnut, cumin, coriander, and honey transform this simple vegetable into an irresistible Thanksgiving side dish. If you're serving up a nontraditional Thanksgiving menu anyway, you can easily serve up this veggie side instead of green bean casserole.

Let's be honest: You're going to need something to soak up the leftover gravy and juices from your roast chicken. Prepping these fluffy dinner rolls the night before can save time and energy come Thanksgiving day. To spice things up, we also offer four alternative bread roll flavors that use this recipe as the base.

While your chicken is roasting, you can throw together this quick fruit salad in almost no time. Juicy plums, Gorgonzola cheese, crisp bacon, and raspberry vinegar come together in this simple side salad to make it a must-have holiday recipe. If you're not a fan of plums, sub in another seasonal sweet fruit, such as pears, persimmons, or apples.

You don't need pumpkin pie to finish off your Thanksgiving feast. What better way to top off a roasted chicken Thanksgiving dinner than with cranberry pie? We give you the step-by-step instructions on how to make this sweet-tart lattice-top pie. Pair with cinnamon or vanilla ice cream for the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert.