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    Home » Meal Type » Chicken » Easy Roast Chicken

    Easy Roast Chicken

    Published on January 2, 2021 | updated on April 2, 2021 by Diana

    Jump to Recipe
    Roast Chicken Pinnable image

    Perfectly golden roast chicken slathered with a delicious herb garlic butter for an unbelievable flavor!

    This is the easiest roast chicken recipe that you will find. It turns out so juicy, flavorful, with beautiful crispy and golden skin! Perfect for weekends, or weeknight dinners and definitely better than any rotisserie chicken that you can buy.

    Perfectly golden roast chicken
    Table of Contents hide
    1 The Best Roast Chicken Recipe
    2 Ingredients for Oven Roasted Chicken
    3 How to Roast a Whole Chicken
    4 Basting the Roasted Chicken
    5 How Long to Roast The Chicken
    6 Top Tips
    7 Storing Tips
    8 Serving Ideas
    9 More Whole Chicken Recipes
    10 Roast Chicken Recipe

    The Best Roast Chicken Recipe

    Roasting a whole chicken at home can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! I know it might sound like a big project to roast a whole chicken, but trust me, it is SO easy. With my recipe here, you will get succulent flavorful chicken with minimal prep every single time.

    When it comes to cooking anything, all you need is a tried and true recipe and clear instructions, and that’s exactly what I’m providing you with here with my whole roasted chicken recipe.

    Ingredients for Oven Roasted Chicken

    You only need a few simple ingredients to roast a delicious chicken!

    • Whole chicken – I used a 4 lb chicken (which serves 3-4 people), but you can use any size you want. The amounts of the seasonings/herb butter are fine to use on a smaller or larger chicken.
    • Butter, olive oil, garlic, and herbs – I used unsalted butter, virgin olive oil, minced garlic, fresh parsley, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. If you don’t have any fresh herbs available, you can use poultry seasoning.
    • Onion and lemon – to stuff the cavity, I only used half an onion (quartered), and half a lemon cut into wedges.
    Ingredients needed to roast a whole chicken

    How to Roast a Whole Chicken

    • If you have time, I strongly recommend that you brine the chicken first. It will make your chicken juicier and will season the meat very well. I have an easy chicken brine recipe that you can use. Brining is not a must, but recommended for best results.
    • Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking to come to room temperature. Or take it out of the brine if you decided to brine the chicken, and allow it to come to room temperature (I just let it chill out on my kitchen counter for half an hour)
    • Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) standard oven, or 430°F (220°C) convection/fan oven.
    Brining a chicken in salt water solution, with lemon slices and fresh herbs.

    To make the herb butter

    • In a small bowl or a jug, melt the butter. Mix in olive oil, garlic, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

    Prep and roast the chicken

    • Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. I don’t recommend rinsing the chicken before roasting, as that may result in spreading bacteria to the sink and your equipment, plus you want the chicken to be as dry as possible to achieve a crispy skin.
    • Place the chicken in a roasting pan or a sheet pan, and very generously season with salt and pepper from all sides including the cavity. Pour the herb butter all over the chicken, and with a brush spread it evenly all over the chicken.
    • Stuff the cavity with the quartered onion, rosemary sprigs, and lemon wedges. You can also use other fresh herbs if you like, or even poultry seasoning. NOTE: You don’t need to stuff the chicken if it was brined.
    • Truss the chicken legs with kitchen/butcher twine, season with salt and pepper again, and transfer to the preheated oven. Trussing the chicken legs will help the drumsticks stay moist and avoid burning, as the breast cooks through. In short, the chicken will cook more evenly when the legs are trussed.
    • Roast for 15 minutes at intense heat 450°F (230°C) standard oven, or 430°F (220°C) convection/fan oven.
    • Lower the heat to 400°F (200°C) standard oven, or 380°F (190°C) convection/fan oven. And roast for 45 minutes (this changes depending on the size of your chicken). Baste twice starting at 30 or 40 minutes by spooning some pan juices over the chicken.
    • Check the internal temperature of the chicken with an instant-read thermometer, when it reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the thigh, the chicken is ready.
    • Allow the chicken to rest for 15-20 minutes uncovered before carving (covering the chicken will make the skin soggy), this will help the juices redistribute and the chicken to cool down enough to carve.

    Basting the Roasted Chicken

    Basting is optional, but here’s what I like to do:

    I usually baste the chicken with a spoon twice as it’s being roasted (starting after 30 or 40 minutes after it goes in the oven), so that the minced garlic does not burn, and basting also adds flavor since the pan juices are very flavorful.

    However, if you baste the chicken too much, it might slow down the cooking process as you’ll be opening the oven door over and over again and the oven temperature might drop. It’s also important to note that a long slow roast can dry the chicken out and you don’t want that.

    A collage on how to make herb butter, prep the chicken, and roast it.

    How Long to Roast The Chicken

    I check the internal temperature of the chicken for the first time after one hour. A smaller chicken (about 3-4 lb) can be ready in one hour, but larger ones will take a bit longer. In total, it should take from 1 to 1.5 hours to cook.

    The general rule is 15 minutes per each pound of chicken, but that’s not always the case so keep checking the internal temperature of the chicken (it should reach 165°F when the chicken is done!).

    The best way to check if the chicken is done is by using an instant-read thermometer. It will ensure that your chicken is cooked properly, and never undercooked or overcooked. Just insert the kitchen thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh and it should register 165°F (74°C). That’s how you know that the chicken is ready.

    If you don’t have an instant read thermometer, pierce the chicken between the drumstick and the body with a knife, and the juices should run clear.

    Close up of crispy golden roast chicken skin.

    Top Tips

    • If you forgot to take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking, just add 10 minutes to the total cooking time.
    • Remove the bag of giblets from the cavity of the chicken, if you can’t find them then it’s worth checking the neck cavity. If your chicken comes with giblets, you can use them to make stock or gravy, or discard them.
    • When you pat the chicken dry with paper towels, do it inside the cavity as well. The idea is to get the chicken as dry as possible for the best results.
    • Before stuffing the cavity, I like to season it generously with salt and pepper, and even pour some herb butter inside it for maximum flavor.
    • For a complete meal, prep some root vegetables (rutabaga, turnips, carrots, onion, leeks, etc), season them, drizzle with oil, and place them in the pan. Let the chicken rest on top of the vegetables as it’s being roasted.
    • Roast the chicken in a roasting pan breast side up. I like to use this cast iron pan (that you see in my pictures) as it cooks the chicken very evenly.
    • By the time the chicken is cooked, it should be golden and crispy. If needed, place under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp the skin up even more. But watch it carefully like a hawk, so it does not burn!
    Carved chicken on a white platter with lemon slices and fresh rosemary sprigs.

    Storing Tips

    Carve the chicken and slice into pieces, check out my turkey guide for the carving technique. And pick any remaining meat off the bones to use in other recipes like this chicken Caesar wrap, or baked chicken tacos.

    The leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Or frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

    Use the carcass to make a delicious chicken broth and use it to make my hearty chicken noodle soup!

    Sliced chicken breast, a close up shot.

    Serving Ideas

    Serve this roast chicken with

    • Creamy mashed potatoes
    • Smashed potatoes
    • Glazed carrots
    • Homemade caesar salad
    • Roasted swede/rutabaga
    • Roasted frozen brussels sprouts
    • Kale salad with lemon vinaigrette

    More Whole Chicken Recipes

    • Air Fryer whole chicken
    • Smoked Whole Chicken
    • Instant Pot whole chicken
    • Spatchcock roast chicken
    • Easy chicken brine
    • Poultry seasoning

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    I don’t feel like I say this often enough, or that I could ever thank you enough. But THANK YOU for all of your support, for visiting my blog, commenting, and sharing my recipes with your friends and family. I am SO thankful for you!

    If you make this recipe or any of my recipes, then don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below. I would LOVE to hear about your experience and your comments just make my day!

    I hope that you love every recipe that you make! – Diana x

    Roast Chicken Recipe

    Perfectly golden roast chicken slathered with a delicious herb garlic butter for an unbelievable flavor! This chicken is juicy, tender, with an incredible flavor!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Rest time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 465kcal
    Author: Diana

    Ingredients

    • 3-4 lb (1.5-2kg) whole chicken
    • salt and pepper
    • 2 sprigs rosemary
    • ½ yellow onion quartered
    • ½ lemon cut into wedges

    For the herb butter

    • ½ cup (100g) unsalted butter
    • 2 teaspoons olive oil
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon parsley chopped
    • 1 sprig rosemary chopped
    • salt and pepper

    Instructions

    • Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking.
    • Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) standard oven, or 430°F (220°C) convection/fan oven.

    To make the herb butter

    • In a small bowl or jug, melt the butter. Mix in olive oil, garlic, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

    For the chicken

    • Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
    • Place the chicken in a roasting pan and season with salt and pepper from all sides. Pour the herb butter all over the chicken, and with a brush spread it evenly all over the chicken.
    • Stuff the cavity with the quartered onion, rosemary sprigs, and lemon wedges.
    • Truss the chicken legs with kitchen twine, season with salt and pepper again, and transfer to the oven.
    • Roast for 15 minutes at 450°F (230°C) standard oven, or 430°F (220°C) convection/fan oven.
    • Lower the heat to 400°F (200°C) standard oven, or 380°F (190°C) convection/fan oven. And roast for 45 minutes (this changes depending on the size of your chicken). Baste twice starting at 30-40 minutes by spooning some pan juices over the chicken.
    • Check the internal temperature of the chicken, when it reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the thigh, the chicken is ready. Remove from the oven.
    • Allow the chicken to rest for 15-20 minutes uncovered before carving and serving.

    Video

    Notes

    • A 3-4 pound whole chicken will serve 3-4 people.
    • If you have time, I recommend that you brine the chicken first. It will make your chicken juicier and will season the meat very well. I have an easy chicken brine recipe that you can use! Brining is not a must, but recommended for best results.
    • If you forgot to take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking, just add 10 minutes to the total cooking time.
    • Remove the bag of giblets from the cavity of the chicken, if you can’t find them then it’s worth checking the neck cavity. If your chicken comes with giblets, you can use them to make stock or gravy, or discard them.
    • When you pat the chicken dry with paper towels, do it inside the cavity as well. The idea is to get the chicken as dry as possible for the best results.
    • Before stuffing the cavity, I like to season it generously with salt and pepper, and even pour some herb butter inside it for maximum flavor.
    • For a complete meal, prep some root vegetables (rutabaga, turnips, carrots, onion, leeks, etc), season them, drizzle with oil, and place them in the pan. Let the chicken rest on top of the vegetables as it’s being roasted.
    • Roast the chicken in a roasting pan breast side up. I like to use this cast iron pan (that you see in my pictures) as it cooks the chicken very evenly.
    • I usually baste the chicken twice as it’s being roasted (starting after 40 minutes), this ensures that the garlic does not burn, and it also adds flavor since the butter and pan juices are very flavorful.
    • By the time the chicken is cooked, it should be golden and crispy. If needed, place until the broiler for a few minutes to crisp the skin up even more. But watch it carefully like a hawk.
    • Carve the chicken and slice into pieces, check out my turkey guide for the carving technique. And pick any remaining meat off the bones to use in other recipes.
    • Storing: the leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Or frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
    • Use the carcass to make a delicious chicken broth and use it to make chicken noodle soup!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 465kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 237mg | Sodium: 190mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 771IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg
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    1. Tina

      January 05, 2021 at 4:12 am

      Have you ever tried your butter and seasonings under the skin?

      Reply

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    Hello and welcome to Little Sunny Kitchen! I'm Diana and I love cooking with fresh, and seasonal ingredients. I'm a trained chef, food blogger, and photographer. More about me!

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