How To Make Insanely Easy Oven Roasted Whole Chicken
This oven roasted whole chicken is incredibly juicy, has abundant delicious flavors, and the ever so magical perfectly crispy skin!
Is there anything better than an oven roasted whole chicken? It is juicy, it is delicious, and super easy to make!
Roasting a whole chicken is one of those dishes that appears intimidating. But lurking behind its one two punch of taste bud deliciousness, is actually an incredibly simple dish.
An oven roasted whole chicken is a recipe that keeps on giving too! It is perfect for meal prep, because that delicious bird will carry you and your family through the week for dinner.
Because you and I both know that any make dinner easier on mom shortcuts there are in lifethe better! Having a protein that can be used for meals throughout the week is an epic level mom win! Every.single.time
Lemon Garlic Oven Roasted Whole Chicken
By Rena Awada | Updated On August 31, 2021
Home » Main Courses » Lemon Garlic Oven Roasted Whole Chicken
Crispy, juicy, and full of flavor, this Lemon Garlic Oven Roasted whole Chicken is a delicious twist on the classic chicken roast. Its so easy to make and the perfect weekend dinner!
This roasted chicken recipe is a recipe that we like to always have in our back pocket and we think you should too! If you dont need a roast a whole turkey or want to deal with baking a turkey then this roast chicken is perfect for you! Its so easy to make, the chicken comes out so moist and tender, and it only takes about an hour in the oven. Its simple enough to make that you wont be stressed out but looks good enough to impress your guests. Tender and juicy chicken made with a handful of simple ingredients and roasted to perfection.
How To Roast A Whole Chicken In The Oven
You may be intimidated by the thought of roasting, or baking, a whole chicken in the oven. I have been there!
But, allow me to reassure you that you SO got this! It is one of those easy recipes, that you can prep, put it in the oven, and walk away. How easy is that?
No basting, no fluff! Using simple ingredients, and then you just cook that chicken!
With that said, this recipe will allow this baked whole chicken to stand out from the rest. You will have a flavorful chicken that is incredibly juicy, and has a perfectly crispy skin too! Because we all know the crispy skin is where its at!
- Rinse the inside and outside of the chicken and pat dry.
- Season inside and outside of chicken
- Stuff the cavity with veggies and herbs. ALL the flavors!
- Brush the outside of the chicken with the melted butter. Magical juiciness and crispy skin!
- Bake and roast until you reach whole chicken crispy perfection!
See, it is not that intimidating of a recipe at all! And, notice how there is no basting, or checking on the chicken every few minutes?
When it comes to recipes you need easy! First of all, you have about one bajillion other things you need to be doing besides checking on your dinner recipe every other minute. Because you knowlaundry, homework, and basically any surface in your home needs cleaned right about now.
Also Check: Chicken Soup With Dumplings Recipe
How To Truss A Chicken For Roasting
If you’re roasting a whole chicken that’s not been spatchcocked , you can truss the bird before roasting it that is, tie it with butcher’s twine to keep the legs close to the body. This is not an essential step, but it does make the chicken slightly easier to handle, and it helps hold the stuffing in if you’ve stuffed the chicken.
- To truss a chicken, cut about a 3-foot length of heatproof butcher’s twine.
- Lay the chicken on a clean surface with the breast facing up.
- Hold one end of the string in each hand, and loop the center of the string underneath the chicken’s tail.
- Catch the ends of the legs inside the string, then cross the string over the chicken’s breast, making an X.
- Loop the string under and around the wings, then tie the string snugly in a knot across the middle of the breast. Make sure that the ends of the wings are tucked in.
Tips For Juicy Chicken
- Pat chicken dry thoroughly with a paper towel, inside and out. A dried-off bird ends up juicier on the inside with crispy skin.
- Tie the legs with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under for even cooking.
- Preheat the oven to a 450°F to sear the outside of the chicken. Lowering temperature cooks a bit slower and the result is perfectly tender chicken with crispy skin.
- We love to cook this in a cast-iron dish but an oven safe sauce pan or a casserole dish will work too . Use a larger pan if youd like to add veggies.
- Cook chicken until the juices run clear and it reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh .
- Let the chicken rest 10-15 minutes before carving.
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How To Cook A Whole Chicken In Oven
Answer
Cooking a whole chicken in the oven is an easy process that can be completed in a short amount of time. The best way to do this is to start by preheating the oven before you begin cooking the bird.
Next, make sure you have all of the supplies you will need to cook your chicken. These supplies include a baking sheet, a pan, measuring spoons, a knife, and an oven thermometer. Once these supplies are in place, it is easy to begin cooking your bird by prepping it with some spices.
Once these spices are added to the bird, it will be ready to cook in the oven.
Whole Roasted Chicken Recipe Faqs
Is it better to roast a chicken covered or uncovered?
The best roast chicken is a combo of baking covered and uncovered. We start this chicken roasting uncovered for an hour, then covered it for the remaining 30 minutes to lock in the moisture while maintaining a crispy skin.
How can you tell when the chicken is done?
The best way to tell when roast chicken is done is by using an internal temperature thermometer. Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees internal temp. Make sure to insert the thermometer into the center of the chicken to get the most accurate read on the temperature.
What is the difference between roasting and baking a chicken?
Roasting and baking are basically the same thing. It means to cook something in your oven. Baking refers to things that dont have structure already while roasting refers to things that already do have structure
Read Also: Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes Thighs
How To Check If Its Done
Place the temperature probe in the thickest part of the breast, being careful not to touch the bone. A roast chicken internal temperature should register at 165-degrees.
If you dont have a meat thermometer, you can check if the chicken is done by piercing the meat with a knife if the juices run clear, it is done. If they are pink, continue cooking. You can also cook into the chicken when the meat is the thickest. It should not be pink inside.
- Dont have a meat thermometer yet? This is my favorite meat thermometer, and its under $15!
Should I Rinse Raw Chicken Before Roasting
The CDC cautions home cooks to not rinse their chicken. We know, its something our grandparents used to do. However, food health and safety has data showing we are increasing the risk of cross-contamination of food-born pathogens when we rinse raw chicken. The USDA tells us that those pathogens are killed during the cooking process, so we do not need to worry. We strongly encourage you to follow CDC and USDA guidelines to prevent illness.
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What To Put On Chicken To Keep It Moist
If youre looking to keep your chicken moist, there are a few things you can do. One is to add plenty of water and cook it until its cooked through.
Another is to put it in a bowl with some bread crumbs and place it in the fridge for an hour or two. Finally, you can also try adding a little salt and pepper to your birds diet.
How Long Does An Average Whole Chicken Take To Cook
The cook time for a chicken depends on the weight of the bird. This 5 lb chicken only required about 1.5 hours.
A good rule to stick by is 20 minutes per lb, and cook to 165 degrees for the internal temperature.
If you dont have time to roast the chicken in the oven, you can also follow this recipe for Crockpot Whole Chicken.
Make sure you also visit this Easy Crockpot Bone Broth recipe so you can use up those scraps!
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What Ingredients To Use
In this recipe we use a large chicken breast. A chicken breast is often cut up into a few pieces and cooked in the oven. In this case we are roasting the chicken whole. This means that it is cooked on the top and bottom, so it is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The reason we do this is because we want the chicken to be crispy when we eat it, but we want it to still be juicy when we eat it. Roasting the chicken whole will not only give us juicy and crispy chicken, but we can also enjoy the juicy chicken while we eat it.
Substitutions For Whole Roasted Chicken
Chicken: You can follow this recipe with a smaller chicken or larger chicken but may need to adjust cooking time.
Olive Oil: You can substitute melted butter or avocado oil in place of olive oil.
Herbs/: You can sub any spices/herbs you like in this recipe. Thyme, Rosemary, and Sage are all great!
Veggies: You dont need to use vegetables in this recipe, but I think they add great flavor
Low Fodmap: Omit garlic/onions
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Why You Should Never Rinse Your Chicken
In the past, recipes recommended rinsing pieces of chicken or turkey with water and patting it dry with paper towels. The U.S. Department of Agriculture changed its stance on this practice. Research shows rinsing poultry can spread bacteria by splashing contaminated water onto the surrounding areas. If any moisture is present on your bird when you remove it from the packaging, simply pat it dry with paper towels, and throw away the paper towels immediately.
Ingredients For Oven Roasted Chicken
The ingredients used in this recipe are incredibly simple. But, dont let that fool you! The butter allows the skin to get nice and crispy. And, something simply magical happens when you add garlic, sage, rosemary and thyme to your chicken.
Lets not forget about the savory and sweet veggie trio of celery, onion, and carrots too! Seriously, you can never go wrong with those vegetables added to just about anything.
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Why Is This Whole Roasted Chicken Turned In The Oven
A simple way of roasting a whole chicken is to lay the chicken on top of sliced root vegetables or balls of foil in the roasting pan.
I know, I know, taking the time to turn the chicken throughout the roasting process is a tad more work
BUT the results are SO worth it. What you get is a delicious, crispy, golden brown bird that is evenly roasted on all sides. YUM!
Easy Oven Roasted Chicken
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The one recipe you need for the best oven roasted chicken. Its easy and tastes amazing. Use leftovers for casseroles and soups.
Weve all walked through the grocery store and immediately been hit with the aroma of a freshly roasted chicken. They keep them at the front of the store for a reason. Rotisserie chicken is delicious, and easy to pick up for a dinner.
Ive noticed one thing, though. The roast chickens keep getting smaller. We have a family of 5, and sometimes the chickens look small enough that I think Ill have to buy two. And that gets expensive.
This recipe is for a better-than-rotisserie roast chicken. I promise you it is easy and youll be thrilled that you can make a deliciously flavorful, tender, juicy chicken. Its economical, too.
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Easy Whole Roasted Chicken
This easy whole roasted chicken is seasoned with lemon and herbs and cooked with onions, carrots and celery for a beautifully browned, crispy and classic oven roast chicken.
It is back to school week at my house, and although Im prepared, Im not really ready for it.
Well be on campus this morning to meet the teachers and see the kids classrooms. My daughter is going into 5th grade and my son into 2nd.
Im so excited for them and they are both really looking forward to starting school but Im also a little sad that the long, slow days of summer are ending. It went by so fast, and it was kinda fun having them home all the time. Alas, itll be good to get back to a routine. I guess
OK, lets move right along to todays delicious dish.
The first time I ever bought and cooked a whole chicken was to make Emerils Sunday roast chicken from my husbands cookbook. Its one of his favorites, and it is really delicious.
But its also a bit involved, both in terms of the prep and in the cooking process. Its also got a decidedly Cajun kinda flair.
So over the years I started playing around with a more traditional roasted chicken.
And today Im so excited to share my perfected whole roasted chicken recipe, plus ALL the tips and tricks Ive learned from making this SO many times.
This way, you can have total success from the get go. Especially if you are a first timer or feel at all intimidated by roasting a whole chicken. I know I did.
Why Use A Dry Salt Brine On Roast Chicken
The science of salt brining is really simple: rubbing the outside of a chicken with salt and letting it sit in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours before roasting creates juicy meat because the salt draws out moisture that dissolves the crystals, then the chicken reabsorbs this salty liquid down to the bone. Starting the chicken at a very high temperature , combined with the salt brining method, locks moisture in the meat and makes the chicken skin crispy in the oven. Even if you accidentally overcook the meat a little bit, it will still be tender and juicy. No more dry, tough chicken breasts!
Read Also: Seasoning For Baked Chicken Thighs
How To Roast A Chicken
In this chicken roasting guide, we’ll cover:
- Which roasting tools to buy
- How to brine a chicken for roasting
- How to boost flavor with dry rubs and more
- Whether or not to skin the chicken for roasting
- How to truss a chicken for roasting
- How long to roast a chicken, depending on size
- How to roast the chicken in the oven and when to take it out
Read on to learn everything you need to know about roasting the perfect chicken every single time.
Cook Whole Chicken In The Oven
Place the whole chicken in the roasting pan in the preheated oven. Cooking times vary by weight. Cut the string and cover with foil to prevent overbrowning after 1 hour.
How long to roast a chicken at 375°F:
- 2½- to 3-pound chicken: Roast 1 to 1¼ hours
- 3½- to 4-pound chicken: Roast 1¼ to 1½ hours
- 4½- to 5-pound chicken: Roast 1¾ to 2 hours
Make it a Meal: Cut 1 lb. red potatoes, 3 carrots, 1 medium peeled turnip, and 1 medium onion into 1-inch chunks. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper toss to coat. Arrange vegetables around chicken in the pan for the last 45 to 50 minutes of roasting your chicken, stirring occasionally.
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What To Do With Leftovers
A regular bird of about 1,2-1,5 kg/ 2.6-3.3 lbs should be enough for about 4 people, maybe even 5. However, if it is larger, you will probably have some leftovers.
The bones:
- Please do not throw away the leftover roasted bones they make the most wonderful stock.
- For more details on making stock, see this post on How to Make Chicken Stock.
- Or, for an Asian kind of stock, see this Chicken Ginger Broth.
- If you dont make the stock with the roasted bones on the day or the next day after having the chicken, you can freeze the bones until you have more bones to make the stock.
Leftover meat:
- You can use the leftover meat to make salads, sandwiches, and fricassee you can add the chopped meat to a soup and make fried rice or fried noodles.
How Long Does It Take To Roast A Chicken And At What Temperature
The answer to this question is going to depend heavily on how big your bird is. The important thing is that you want the chicken to reach an internal temperature of 165°F thats the temperature at which the salmonella bacteria is killed. For a chicken that weighs between 1kg and 1.5kg youll want to cook the chicken for about an hour at 375°F.
How do you know when youve achieved 165°F internally? You can use an instant-read or probe thermometer to tell you. If you use a thermometer youre going to want to poke the inner thigh of the chicken, making sure not to get too close to the bone. If you dont have a thermometer a good rule of thumb is to cook the chicken at 375°F for 45 minutes per kilogram plus an additional 15-20 minutes.
If you can never cook meat right, you need one of these.
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