Roasted chicken is simple, it’s easy, it’s delicious, and it has a variety of uses! This is one of those recipes you can make a bunch of it and then use the leftovers for all sorts of other recipes! The sky is the limit! And who doesn’t like to have cooked chicken on hand? Plus once you eat all the meat, you can boil the chicken carcasses for stock! It’s a win-win.
Whole chickens are cheap, often times much cheaper than chicken breast or even thighs. They work great for variety, say you like only breast meat while someone else in the family likes thigh meat. Whole chickens are perfect for that! This recipe is super simple but it can be dressed up so many ways. You can use different veggies or different herbs. You can use this recipe on turkey too! Once you’ve got this basic recipe down, don’t be afraid to experiment! This recipe is basically fool-proof!
The biggest thing is to make sure you cook your chicken enough. In the video, I show you my instant read meat thermometer. It’s not a pop-up timer or a thermometer you cook with the chicken or even turkey. Make sure you take a reading in the thigh AND the breast. Once both register 165 degrees, your chicken is done!
PrintSimple Roasted Chicken
simple, delicious roasted chicken
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 90
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 whole Chicken
- 1 stick softened butter
- 1 lemon
- 5–6 cloves garlic
- Parsley, Rosemary, or Sage (any type of herb works)
- Salt And Pepper, to taste
- 1 onion, coarse chopped
- 3–4 carrots, coarse chopped
- 3–4 celery stalks, coarse chopped
- (Use whatever kind of vegetables you like: potatoes, parsnips, broccoli, cauliflower)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a bowl, combine softened butter, zest of the lemon, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- In a large rectangular baking dish, place your chopped vegetables on either end leaving room in the middle for the chicken. Salt and pepper your vegetables.
- Use your fingers to smear the butter mixture all over the chicken and under the skin. Cut the lemon in quarters. Place the lemon quarters in the cavity of the chicken, also add some garlic and whole sprigs of herbs. Place the chicken in the middle of the roasting dish with the vegetables.
- Place the roasting dish in the oven and roast it for 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes minutes. Skin on the chicken should be deep golden brown. Make sure to check it with an instant read thermometer. When your chicken gives a reading of 165 degrees in the breast and thigh, it is done!
- Cut up and serve alongside the roasted vegetables! Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
