↑

Classic & Original Homecooking Recipe

The Best of Homecooking

  • Home
    • About Me
    • Work With Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Subscribe!
  • Recipes
    • Popular Posts
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Healthy Dishes
    • Soup
    • Salad
    • Sandwich
    • Cauliflower
    • Drink
    • Cocktail
  • How To
  • Instant Pot
    • Instant Pot Main Dishes
    • Instant Pot Side Dishes
    • Instant Pot Soups
  • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Chicken
    • Beef
    • Seafood
    • Pork
    • Chili
    • Pasta
    • Slow Cooker
    • Vegetarian
  • Dessert
    • Cheesecake
    • Cake
    • Cookies
    • Chocolate
  • Holidays
    • Easter
    • Cinco de Mayo
    • Mother’s Day
    • Father’s Day
    • BBQ
    • 4th Of July
    • Fall Recipes
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas Dinner
    • Christmas Baking
    • Holiday Leftover Recipes
    • New Year’s
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Super Bowl Recipes
    • St. Patrick’s Day
Home » Dinner » Roast Chicken Recipe

Roast Chicken Recipe

Created: October 22, 2020 Updated: January 10, 2022 by Lyuba Brooke 1 Comment

445 shares
Jump to Recipe

This roast chicken is so flavorful and juicy you’ll never believe how easy it is to make. It’s seasoned generously and stuffed with lemon, garlic, and herbs for delicious flavor inside and out. Outside, there is more seasoning and a coat of flavored butter.

oven roasted chicken (whole) on white platter

A roasted chicken with golden, crispy skin and juicy, tender meat makes the perfect meal for any occasion. It’s a classic Sunday dinner perfectly paired with sides of fluffy mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and homemade potato dinner rolls.

If roasting a whole chicken seems a little scary to you, don’t be afraid! It’s very easy to make and doesn’t require much effort beyond preparing the chicken. The meat comes out so tender and juicy, you’ll want to have more and more. And if you have any leftovers, make some chicken noodle soup, casseroles, or chicken salad.

Tips For Juicy Oven Roasted Chicken

A common problem for many people is knowing the proper way to cook a whole chicken in the oven. 

Although the technique is simple, there are some important steps in the process. Missing even one can result in dry chicken.

  1. Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking. 

Cooking any type of meat while it’s cold will result in uneven cooking, which could be undercooking, overcooking, or both at the same time. This is because the outside of the meat will cook more quickly than the inside.

For the best results, remove the meat from the fridge and leave it at room temperature for 45-60 minutes before roasting.

According to USDA food safety guidelines, as long as the temperature of the room is below 85°F and the chicken doesn’t stay out for longer than 2 hours, it is perfectly safe to use.

  1. Use a large roasting pan with high sides when possible.

In order for the meat to cook evenly, heat needs to circulate all the way around it. So, you have to use a pan that is large enough to fit the chicken. Also, a pan with high sides ensures that the heat stays closer to the roasting chicken. 

  1. Cook according to internal temperature, not by time.

There are many factors that can effect the cook time of the chicken, like size of the chicken and oven temperature. So it’s very important not to roast chicken by time alone. Use a digital instant-read cooking thermometer to determine when it’s done. Chicken is safe to eat when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast or thigh reaches 165°F. 

  1. Allow the meat to rest before carving.

After removing chicken from the oven, it’s important to allow the juices to redistribute back into the meat. Otherwise, when you slice into the meat, the juices will end up on your cutting board. 

To keep the meat warm while it rests, tent it with a piece of aluminum foil.

  1. Preheat the oven.

This is another common mistake. The oven needs to be hot enough to start the roasting process. So make sure to preheat your oven to 425°F before placing the meat inside.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROASTING AND BAKING

While both of these methods involve cooking with dry heat in an oven, the primary difference is the cooking temperature.

Baking temperatures are at or below 375°F, while roasting requires high heat cooking of at least 400°F. Higher temperature is necessary to brown the food, and to create crispy skin.

overhead photo: roasted chicken on white platter

How To Make Roast Chicken

  1. Preheat oven and prepare roasting pan.

TIP: For easier cleanup, line your roasting pan with a sheet of aluminum foil.

  1. Prepare the chicken for roasting:
overhead photo: whole raw chicken, spices and herbs to make a roast chicken recipe
  • Clean it. Take the chicken out of the package and use paper towels to dry it off. Be sure to check the cavity for giblets and neck. You can discard them, or use them to make chicken stock.
  • Apply seasoning:

To infuse more flavor, remember to season well inside the cavity.

Use your fingers to apply salt and pepper all over the inside of the cavity. Don’t be afraid, give it a good amount of seasoning.

Then, insert half a lemon, quarter of an onion, garlic bulb, sage, and thyme into the cavity. Next, use cotton twine to tie the legs together.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter and pressed garlic cloves. Brush the entire outside surface with garlic butter, then generously season the outside with salt and pepper.

  • using red silicone basting brush to apply melted butter onto uncooked whole chicken
  • raw whole chicken with butter rubbed onto the skin in foil lined roasting pan
  1. Bake:

Place the chicken into the prepared roasting pan and then transfer it to the oven.

Bake chicken for 80 to 90 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the temperature in the center of the breast at the thickest part reaches 165°F.

NOTE: Due to carryover cooking, chicken continues to cook for another 2 to 3 degrees after you remove it from the oven.

making a roast chicken recipe: trussed bird on sheet of aluminum foil in oven
  1. Allow it to rest.

Take the chicken out of the oven and transfer it to a carving board. Tent it loosely with a sheet of foil and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

It’s important to let meats rest after cooking so that the juices that have condensed during the cooking process have a chance to redistribute back throughout the meat.

white serving platter of whole roasted chicken with crispy, golden skin

Can I Add Vegetables?

When you make the roast chicken recipe, you can add vegetables right into the roasting pan with the bird. Depending on the vegetables, you can add them half way through or during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking.

  • For potatoes: Cut them in half or quarters, and add them half way through the cooking time. If you plan to combine them with other vegetables, cut the potatoes into smaller pieces to ensure that they cook through.
  • For carrots, onion, and celery: Cut them into pieces, and try to make them as equal in size as possible. Add during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking time. Thicker carrots will take a little longer to cook than thinner ones.
close up photo: carving crispy skinned whole chicken

If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @willcookforsmiles and #willcookforsmiles so I can see all the things you tried!

Don’t forget to sign up for email, so you won’t miss any new recipes.

PIN THIS RECIPE

oven roasted chicken (whole) on white platter

Roast Chicken Recipe

This roast chicken is so flavorful and juicy you’ll never believe how easy it is to make. It’s seasoned generously and stuffed with lemon, garlic, and herbs for delicious flavor inside and out. 
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 583kcal
Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

  • 4-6 lb whole chicken
  • 1/4 yellow onion
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1 garlic bulb
  • 4-5 sage leaves
  • 3-4 sprigs of thyme
  • 4 tbsp butter melted
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • salt
  • black pepper
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425° and line a roasting pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.

Prepare chicken:

  • Take chicken out of the package and rinse it off. Take out giblets and neck if it was included in the chicken. (You can discard it or use it making chicken stock.)
  • Pat chicken dry with a paper towel.
  • Cut off the very tip off the bulb of garlic to expose the garlic flesh.
  • Season inside the cavity with salt and pepper. Don't be afraid, give it a good amount of seasoning.
  • Insert half a lemon, quarter of an onion, garlic bulb, sage, and thyme into the cavity and tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
  • In a small bowl, combine melted butter and pressed garlic cloves. Brush the chicken all around with garlic butter.
  • Generously season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.

Roasting Chicken In The Oven:

  • Place chicken into the prepared roasting pan and into the oven.
  • Bake chicken for an hour and twenty minutes to an hour and a half, until the juices run clear.
  • You can also check for doneness by using a digital read meat thermometer. Take the temperature in the center of the breast at the thickest part, but do not touch the bone. Internal temperature should be 165°.
  • Take the chicken out of the oven, tent it with a sheet of foil loosely and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

Adding vegetables:

  • You can also add vegetables right into the roasting pan while chicken is cooking. Depending on the vegetables, you can add the half way trough or during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking.
  • For potatoes: cut them into quarters or more, depending on the size, and toss with some canola oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Spread potatoes in the roasting pan, all around the chicken, about half way through the cooking time.
  • For carrots, onion, and celery: cut them and toss in some canola oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Spread them in the roasting pan, all around the chicken, during the last 20-30 minutes. Thicken carrots will take a little longer to cook than thinner ones.
  • If you want to mix potatoes and other vegetables, you would need to cut potatoes into smaller pieces so they cook through faster.

Nutrition

Calories: 583kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 194mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 452mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles and tag #willcookforsmiles
titled photo (and shown): Easy Roast Chicken

LYUBA

ABOUT LYUBA

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read more...

445 shares

Filed Under: Chicken, Christmas Dinner, Dinner, Easter, Healthy Dishes

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

Comments

  1. Janis says

    March 22, 2023 at 2:32 pm

    5 stars
    Made this for a Sunday family dinner and everyone really liked it!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Well, hey there!

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read More.

Easter Recipes

closeup squared view of several potato rolls in a bowl.

Potato Rolls

closeup of scooping out mashed potatoes.

Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes

closeup of sliced prime rib with sauces around.

Prime Rib

squared closeup of baked ham with orange ham glaze.

Baked Ham with Orange Honey Ham Glaze

squared image of scooping out creamy brussels.

Creamy Baked Brussels Sprouts

closeup squared image of scooping out creamed spinach.

Creamed Spinach

pulling part a dinner roll to show the cheesy center.

Cheesy Dinner Rolls

closeup whole vanilla cheesecake with whipped cream.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Our Popular Recipes

Shrimp fried rice has been cooked in a black skillet and is ready to serve.

Shrimp Fried Rice

closeup view of the martini with olives in a glass

Dirty Martini

A white bowl on top of a decorative tan plate filled with Mushroom soup.

The Best Mushroom Soup

closeup of a red bowl with minestrone soup with a spoon.

Minestrone Soup

Cauliflower Rice

stacked cheeseburger eggrolls on a wooden tray with a small white bowl filled with dipping sauce and an eggroll cut in half and sitting on top of the stack of eggrolls

Cheeseburger Egg Rolls

Top Rated Recipes

The Best French Toast

Cauliflower Parmesan Crisps

Christmas Cheesecake (Cranberry Jam White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake)

Avocado Salmon Rice Bowl

round decorative bowl filled with apple pie bread pudding topped with ice cream and a fork leaning on the side of the bowl viewed close up.

Apple Pie Bread Pudding

Smores cheesecake on a wooden table

S'Mores Cheesecake Recipe

Sides

30 Min

Pasta

Salads

Breakfast

Drinks

Soups

Gluten Free

FEATURED ON:

featured on

[cp_popup display="inline" style_id="32674" step_id = "1"][/cp_popup]
Buffalo Chicken Wrap with Homemade Ranch

Buffalo Chicken Wrap with Homemade Ranch

January 30, 2023
Delicious,...
The Best Classic Tiramisu

The Best Classic Tiramisu

January 14, 2023
Tiramisu...
Baked Ham with Orange Honey Ham Glaze

Baked Ham with Orange Honey Ham Glaze

December 2, 2022
This...
Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata

August 11, 2022
Chicken...
Pad See Ew

Pad See Ew

August 10, 2022
Pad...
Chicken Meatballs

Chicken Meatballs

July 15, 2022
These...
Baba Ganoush

Baba Ganoush

July 1, 2022
Baba...
Painkiller

Painkiller

June 30, 2022
A...
Truffle Fries

Truffle Fries

June 28, 2022
Truffle...
Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

June 21, 2022
Thai...
Privacy Policy
©2023, Classic & Original Homecooking Recipe. Design by Pixel Me Designs