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Perfectly tender and juicy oven-roasted chicken, complete with my signature seasoning, all ready in under two hours! What could be better? I’ll show you how to roast a whole chicken so the skin gets crispy, leaving the inside buttery, juicy, and tender.
Jump to:
- Roasting a Whole Chicken
- What makes my roasted chicken special
- Whole Oven Roasted Chicken and Potatoes Ingredients
- How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Oven
- Also try…
- What to Serve with Roast Chicken
- Tips for Roasting Chicken in the Oven
- How to Store Leftover Roast Chicken
- FAQ
- Recipes Using Leftover Chicken
- Pin it for later!
- Recipe
- Reviews
Roasting a Whole Chicken
My grandkids are growing up fast, but I still can’t believe I get to be called ‘Vo-Vo’ now! I always knew I wanted to be a grandma, but seeing my kids having families of their own and watching them go through the same steps I did raising them… There’s just nothing like it in the world.
When I was very young, it was my grandmother that patiently taught me how she made one of my favorite meals at her house: a beautifully roasted whole chicken. She would stuff it with aromatics that made the whole house smell amazing. Now, years later, I get to give the gift of her roasted chicken recipe to my grandkids. There’s really nothing like the magic of food connecting us through generations.
Of course, now that I’m an adult, I can tell what made grandma’s chicken recipe so good! It was all in the way she seasoned it. Peeling back the skin to add more seasonings to every inch of the meat, her chicken remains the perfect combination of light, juicy, and perfectly crispy. The best part? It’s the easiest chicken I’ve ever made, and now I have the chance to share it with you.
What makes my roasted chicken special
- This is a super simple method for roasting a whole chicken. Follow under ten steps, and you’ll have it ready to enjoy in under two hours.
- It’s packed with flavor. My grandmother taught me all the best seasonings to use for chicken, and I’ll share them with you in this recipe. It will make a world of difference in your roasted chicken.
- Whole roasted chicken is great for shredding, and shredded chicken is the perfect meal planning recipe. You can use it in everything from chicken tacos to chicken casserole, soup, and more.
- You won’t need any chicken injections to keep the meat juicy (although I do have a recipe for a turkey butter injection you can use for chicken, too, if you’d like).
- The meat is incredibly juicy, while the skin is super crisp. That combination is just unbeatable. It takes so much self-restraint not to snack on the skin straight after pulling the chicken out of the oven!
This is my favorite simple roast chicken recipe because it’s so easy, and cooks delicious potatoes at the same time for a two-in-one meal!
Whole Oven Roasted Chicken and Potatoes Ingredients
- Whole Chicken: I used a 3.5 lb roasting bird, but you can use larger or smaller birds. Just keep an eye on the internal temperature with a meat thermometer, as the size can change the cook time!
- Lemon: A quartered lemon stuffed into the cavity of the chicken will steam as the bird cooks, filling the whole kitchen with the lovely aroma of lemon! You can use orange if you don’t have any lemons.
- Yellow Onion: Just like the lemon, an onion adds a deliciously aromatic, sweet bite to the chicken, flavoring it from the inside out.
- Garlic: Use whole garlic cloves; they’ll roast to perfection and infuse the whole chicken with flavor.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: While you don’t need to cook chicken with potatoes, I highly recommend it! The potatoes will roast as the chicken does and soak up al l those incredible juices, making them the most flavorful potatoes you’ll ever eat!
- Salt & Pepper: Make sure to use freshly cracked black pepper and a nice quality sea salt or kosher salt. The big flakes make a big difference!
- Olive Oil: You can use butter, but I prefer olive oil as it’s easier to coat the chicken with.
- Chicken Seasoning Rub: My signature chicken seasoning is a must-have for perfectly flavorful chicken! It’s made with a mix of delicious spices you likely already have, and I never roast chicken without it anymore!
- Salt
- Pepper
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Garlic powder
- Mustard powder
- Paprika
- Celery salt
- Cumin
- Cayenne
Isabel’s Top Tip
Cooking whole chicken means a decent amount of cleanup! Ensure every surface is clean and there’s no cross contamination from handling, stuffing, and seasoning the bird. Make sure to wash your hands and utensils thoroughly and regularly.
How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Oven
1: Prep Work
Preheat your oven to 375°F, and spray a roasting pan with nonstick spray. Then prepare the chicken by removing the giblets and patting it dry inside and out with a paper towel.
2: Season the Potatoes
Dice the potatoes, then add them to a large bowl. Pour in half the olive oil, then season them with the salt, pepper, and a pinch of chicken seasoning. Toss, and set aside.
3: Season the Chicken
Place the chicken on a plate. Pour the remaining olive oil over it and rub it in. Then season the entire chicken with chicken seasoning and pat it down, making sure to get between the skin and meat, the outside, and the cavity! Tip: Peel back the skin very slowly with your fingers.
2: Stuff the Chicken
Secure the skin back with toothpicks if necessary, then stuff the chicken with lemon wedges, a quartered onion, and 2-3 whole, peeled garlic cloves. Tie the legs together with twine or aluminum foil and place it in the roasting pan.
3: Add the Potatoes
Around the edges of the chicken, pour in the seasoned potatoes. You can add other hard vegetables too such as more onions or sliced carrots.
4: Roast
Roast the chicken for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on the size of the bird. Once it reaches nearly 165°F using an instant-read thermometer, broil for 3-4 minutes, keeping an eye to ensure it doesn’t burn.
2: Remove, rest, and serve!
Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then slice, serve, and enjoy!
What to Serve with Roast Chicken
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Air Fried Brussels Sprouts
- Instant Pot Green Beans
- Asparagus Fries
- German Potato Salad
Tips for Roasting Chicken in the Oven
- For an extra juicy roast chicken, mix the seasonings with butter and then use it like a butter rub to spread under the chicken skin and over the entire surface of the chicken!
- Don’t skip broiling the meat! This brief broil will make for extra crispy skin and a nice crust on the potatoes.
- To avoid uneven cooking, tuck the wing tips under the chicken and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. If you don’t have twine (like I often find myself), use aluminum foil wrapped into a thin ribbon.
- You can add extra stuffing, such as whole sprigs of fresh herbs, or change out the potatoes in the pan for sweet potatoes, squash, cauliflower, or any other hard vegetables!
How to Store Leftover Roast Chicken
To prepare the roast chicken for storing, slice or shred it fully for easy meals; it’s very hard to reheat a whole chicken!
- Fridge: Shred or slice the chicken, then pack it into an airtight container or plastic bag according to the meat color. Press out the air, then store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Cooked chicken freezes very well! Shred or slice the chicken, then pack it into plastic bags and press out all the air. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thawing and Reheating: Thaw frozen chicken by placing it in the fridge overnight or placing the bag in a bath of cold water. Reheat it in a pan with a little bit of extra broth to help it stay moist, or in the microwave with water.
Save the Bones!
Save the bones, scraps, and carcass! You can use them to make some of the most delicious soups you’ve ever tasted, like my Turkey Carcass Soup (with chicken!). It’s ultra delicious and makes use of the whole chicken for a no-waste meal!
FAQ
I don’t need to cover the chicken with my oven, but every oven is different! You may find you need to if your oven has hot spots or uneven heating. Check it 15 minutes before the time is up and see if the skin is browned enough; if it looks like it’s browning too fast, cover it with foil for the rest of the cooking time.
Seasoning under chicken skin is done by very slowly pushing back the skin on the breasts using your fingers. It may seem stubborn, but it’ll eventually release from the meat and you’ll be able to sprinkle seasoning underneath it, ensuring the meat is just as seasoned as the skin itself!
Because the skin has been peeled back, it can start to shrink when it cooks, leaving the meat dry. To avoid this, I recommend pinning the skin in place by piercing it with toothpicks.
The cooking time for whole chicken depends on the size of the chicken! A 3-4 lb chicken will take between an hour and an hour and 15 minutes, but all ovens are different. Additionally, it can change depending on how meaty the bird is and if it’s at room temperature or chilled when placed in the oven. The best way to know when it’s done is simply to use a meat thermometer.
Recipes Using Leftover Chicken
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Recipe
Easiest Oven Roasted Chicken – So Juicy
Equipment
- Paper towels for patting chicken dry
Ingredients
- 3 lb Whole chicken
- ½ Lemon in wedges
- ½ large Yellow onion
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Chicken Seasoning (see below)
- 4 Tablespoons Olive oil
- Parsley for garnish
Chicken Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dried basil
- 1 teaspoon Dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Dried garlic
- ½ teaspoon Mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Celery salt
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spray a roasting pan with nonstick spray, and set aside. Remove the chicken giblets, and pat the chicken dry.3 lb Whole chicken
- Add your diced potatoes to a large bowl and pour in half of the olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of the chicken seasoning. Set aside.2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Pepper, 4 Tablespoons Olive oil, 2 Tablespoons Chicken Seasoning
- On a plate, drizzle the remaining olive oil over your chicken and rub well. Season your whole chicken with my homemade chicken seasoning on all sides, inside, between the skin and meat, and outside of the chicken.4 Tablespoons Olive oil, 2 Tablespoons Chicken Seasoning
- Place lemon wedges, quartered onion, and 2-3 garlic cloves inside of the cavity and tie the legs together. Transfer the chicken to your prepared roasting pan.½ Lemon, ½ large Yellow onion, 3 cloves Garlic
- Toss in your seasoned diced potatoes around the chicken.
- Roast chicken for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on the size of your bird. Broil for 3-4 minutes, keeping an eye on the chicken and potatoes, making sure they do not burn. Your chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove from the oven and let your chicken cool in the pan for about 15-20 minutes before carving. Slice and enjoy! Optional: garnish with fresh parsleyParsley
Video
Notes
- For an extra juicy roast chicken, mix the seasonings with butter and then use it like a butter rub to spread under the chicken skin and over the entire surface of the chicken!
- Don’t skip broiling the meat! This brief broil will make for extra crispy skin and a nice crust on the potatoes.
- To avoid uneven cooking, tuck the wing tips under the chicken and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. If you don’t have twine (like I often find myself), use aluminum foil wrapped into a thin ribbon.
- You can add extra stuffing, such as whole sprigs of fresh herbs, or change out the potatoes in the pan for sweet potatoes, squash, cauliflower, or any other hard vegetables!
Gerald McCrary says
Hi.
What would I have to do to cook this recipe in an air fryer.
I’m trying to use the air fryer more often, anc chicken usually works great.
I would like to use the rotisserie on ths recipe.
Any help is appreciated.
Keep the great recipes comming.
Gerry
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Gerry! I haven’t tried this yet myself, so I would recommend doing a little more research if you find you need more info. But, if I were to do this, I would prepare the chicken by tying it first. For a rotisserie chicken, I would use cooking twine to tie the entire outside of the chicken to keep the wings and legs tucked close to the body. Tie the legs together, too. Air fry for about 1 hour at 400°F with a drip pan made out of foil underneath the chicken to catch any drippings so it doesn’t make a mess (and then you can use the drippings to make a gravy). Before taking the chicken out of the air fryer, make sure to check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer. I have a guide to chicken temperature that can help. Please let me know how it turns out, and enjoy!
Carol Scheer says
Made this last night by the recipe and it was delicious! The elements of the recipe and amounts were spot on, it came together easily, will definitely make it again.
Isabel Laessig says
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it, Carol! Thank you for letting me know!