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Few dishes bring the same cozy comfort as a perfectly roasted chicken. Whether you’re new to cooking or a total pro, this easy recipe gives you crispy skin, juicy meat, and that classic homemade flavor every single time.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Effortless Excellence: This easy roast chicken recipe delivers gourmet flavor without the fuss. Crispy skin, juicy meat, and that homemade goodness every time!
- Versatility Galore: Enjoy it fresh out of the oven or reinvent the leftovers in dishes like Mu Shu Chicken or Asian Chicken Soup. Here are even more Leftover Roast Chicken Recipes!
- Comfort Food Love: It’s classic comfort food that feels like a warm hug, especially when served with Buttermilk Bacon Whipped Potatoes and Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
- Impressive Yet Easy: Hosting guests? A beautifully roasted chicken looks impressive but couldn’t be simpler to make.
- Healthy and Delicious: Packed with protein and full of flavor, it’s a wholesome option that doesn’t skimp on taste.
The Ingredients
- Whole chicken (about 4–5 pounds): The heart of this recipe! A medium-sized chicken cooks evenly and stays perfectly juicy.
- Olive oil: Helps the skin crisp up beautifully while keeping the meat tender. You’ll rub it all over the chicken before roasting.
- Kosher salt: Don’t be shy here. Seasoning generously inside and out is the secret to deep, flavorful meat and that crave-worthy crispy skin.
- Fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, or your favorite blend): These go right inside the chicken for amazing aroma and flavor. Mix and match with what you have on hand. Sage, oregano, or parsley all work, too.
- Lemon: Adds a fresh, citrusy brightness that balances the rich, savory chicken. You’ll stuff it inside the cavity along with the herbs.
- Garlic: Whole cloves roast right alongside the chicken, infusing everything with delicious flavor.
How to Make a Perfect Roast Chicken
- Prep the chicken: Pat the chicken dry (inside and out), removing as much moisture as possible. Rub chicken all over with olive oil, season inside and out with salt.
- Add aromatics: Place chicken in a 9-inch skillet with an oven-proof handle, cast iron skillet or sheet tray lined with foil. Stuff chicken with herbs, lemon and garlic and tie legs together. Heat oven to 450°F.
- Bake at high heat: Place chicken in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Finish at lower temperature: Lower temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for 45-50 minutes or until internal temp reads 160°F.
- Remove from oven and allow chicken to cool for 10 minutes and serve.
Tips and Tricks
- Pick the Perfect Bird: Choose a fresh, good-quality chicken. Organic or air-chilled if you can. A 3-4 pound bird cooks evenly and stays juicy.
- Crispy Skin Magic: For that golden, crispy skin everyone loves, start roasting at 450°F, then lower the heat to finish cooking.
- Convection Oven: Use the convection setting on your oven if you have one, reducing the second bake time to 25-30 minutes.
- Brine if you have time: If you have time, you can brine the bird for extra juiciness. In step 1, cover the bird (inside and out) with salt then refrigerate, uncovered, for 3-24 hours.
- Skillet: If you don’t have a skillet with an oven-proof handle, use a baking dish just larger than your chicken.
Recipes for Leftover Roast Chicken
My favorite thing to do with roast chicken is to make double for meal prep and have the leftovers to use throughout the week in other recipes! Here are some great ones for leftover roast chicken:
FAQs
Do you roast a chicken covered or uncovered?
Roast your chicken uncovered to get that perfectly golden, crispy skin. If it starts browning too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
What temperature should roast chicken be cooked to?
The internal temperature should reach 160°F in the thickest part of the thigh. The temperature will rise slightly as it rests, ensuring tender, fully cooked chicken.
Side Dishes to Serve with Roast Chicken
So, if you’re looking for a meal that’s equal parts delicious and delightful and makes great leftovers, roast chicken is your answer! Let me know if you have any questions in the comments and leave a review below!
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Perfect Roast Chicken
This roast chicken is super easy to make and will give you a fantastic crispy chicken that's juicy on the inside every single time.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3-4 sprigs thyme, rosemary or fresh herb of choice
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed (or one head of garlic cut in half)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry (inside and out), removing as much moisture as possible.
- Rub chicken all over with olive oil, season inside and out with salt.
- Place chicken in a 9-inch skillet with an oven-proof handle, cast iron skillet or sheet tray lined with foil.
- Heat oven to 450°F.
- Stuff chicken with herbs, lemon and garlic and tie legs together.
- Place chicken in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for 45-50 minutes or until internal temp reads 160°F.
- Remove from oven and allow chicken to cool for 10 minutes and serve.
Notes
Pick the Perfect Bird: Choose a fresh, good-quality chicken. Organic or air-chilled if you can. A 3-4 pound bird cooks evenly and stays juicy.
Convection Oven: Use the convection setting on your oven if you have one, reducing the second bake time to 25-30 minutes.
Brine if you have time: If you have time, you can brine the bird for extra juiciness. In step 1, cover the bird (inside and out) with salt then refrigerate, uncovered, for 3-24 hours.
Skillet: If you don’t have a skillet with an oven-proof handle, use a baking dish just larger than your chicken.
Nutrition
Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 1898mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 347IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
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Excellent – thanks so much!
This chicken was sooooo delicious! I remembered reading your recipe awhile back and how you tried it lots of different ways. I decided to cook a chicken last night so I looked back to find the recipe. I am so glad I did. It turned out perfect. Crispy skin, so juicy. I used a cast iron skillet – I thought mine wouldn’t be big enough but the chicken tucked in there just fine. My kids went crazy for it! It was definitely the best roast chicken I’ve ever done – BY FAR! Try it!!!
I’m doing this chicken now and yes same thing is happening. My brand new stove is in bad shape with all the oil and our house is so full of smoke, I turned the oven down to 400. It truly is very scary but the chicken looks AMAZING and I know it will taste really nice. I’m doing it along with the roasted yukon gold potatos.
I don’t want to THINK about the clean up afterward but as usual, weelicious recipes are always delicious.
N.
Try patting the chicken dry with a paper towel just before placing it in the pan. If your chicken has water, moisture, or condensation on it that could react with the fat in the pan and splatter all over. It should definitely sizzle, though, when you place it in the pan initially! That’s how you know the pan is nice and hot and won’t make the chicken skin stick to it! 🙂
Sorry, obviously I took the chicken out of the “fridge” (not the oven) about 1 hour before I started cooking it…
Same thing here. I used a pyrex dish too. I even switched dishes because I thought it was the butter that I used to prevent the chicken from sticking and same thing. Tons of splashing and tons of smoke.
You live and you learn 🙂
I’m cooking this in a brand new oven…in my brand new house. Eyes tearing as I type. It is SO smokey! Doors open/ceiling fan on. oven fan on. When I opened the oven to flip the bird (as it were) it’s frying like a chicken in there splattering on my hands. Does it thrash your oven? I’m going to have to clean mine from all the splattering. I used a pyrex oblong pan.
It looks like it may be fancycook
I too love the skillet in the picture, please share your source!
Isn’t it so pretty?! I got it from Green Cooking Pots, a small business in LA but I haven’t been able to find them in several months. 🙁 I’m still looking, though!
Were did you get the skillet that is pictured in the photo?
I love it!
Looks deeeeeeeelish.
I have never had a problem with the kitchen smoking up. That sounds awful! Maybe remove the bird from the bag for the final 30 minutes of cooking and you’ll get that crispy golden brown skin without the offending smoke!
Do you have any issues with it smoking up the kitchen? The last time I roasted without a bag, it did brown and look and taste great, but my kitchen got so smoky- I have no vent hood- so I resigned myself to using roasting bags, but the chicken does not get that wonderful golden brown color to it…
Yes, thank you and corrected!
*”Use the convection setting on your oven if you have one, reducing the cooking time in step 8 to 25 minutes.” Step 8 is only 20 minutes. Do you mean step 7?