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Whole roast chicken in a blue dutch oven over vegetables
5 from 13 votes

Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken

Dutch oven chicken is simple but true comfort food with incredible flavor! Juicy chicken, crispy skin, and veggie sides all done in one pot.
Author Diana
Servings 4 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 pound (1.4 kilogram) whole chicken (use broiler or fryer chicken, can be between 2.5lb to 4lb)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 large yellow onion cut into eighths
  • 2 ribs celery chopped into 2 inch pieces
  • 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 large potatoes cut into chunks, 3cm (or use more if you want)
  • 2 carrots peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) chicken or vegetable broth or water

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
  • Season the chicken cavity with salt and pepper, then stuff with half the onion, celery, and one sprig of rosemary. Truss the legs with kitchen twine if desired.
  • Drizzle half of the oil all over the chicken, and season it with salt and pepper (season liberally).
  • Add the remaining vegetable oil to the dutch oven so it covers so it lightly covers the bottom. Add the potatoes, remaining onions and celery, carrots and broth to the dutch oven. Season with salt, and give them a quick stir. Throw the remaining sprigs of rosemary in the dutch oven.
  • Transfer the chicken to the dutch oven so it sits over the chopped vegetables, cover with the lid.
  • Transfer the dutch oven to the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
  • Remove the dutch oven from the oven, remove the lid, and cook for 30 more minutes UNCOVERED or until the internal temp reaches 165°F/74°C (use kitchen thermometer). For crispy skin, place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes if desired.
  • Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Notes

  • Pat your chicken dry first, absorbing as much external moisture as you can.
  • If using a frozen chicken, make sure it is completely thawed before cooking. Otherwise, it will throw the timing off.
  • Check for giblets. If you're lucky they'll come in a bag for easy removal. 
  • Celery, carrots, and onions cook faster than the chicken and potatoes, therefore making sure you cut them into nothing smaller than large chunks. Cutting them too small will lead to overcooked, mushy, or even burnt, veggies.
  • If you decide to broil at the end, keep an eye on it. Broiling happens fast and you don't want to burn the skin after all that.
  • Keep the carcass for later! If you're not going to use it right away, keep it frozen until you're ready to make some bone broth, stock, or soup!

Nutrition

Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 176mg | Sodium: 1478mg | Potassium: 1451mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5308IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg