Have you ever wondered how to roast a chicken without it coming out of the oven completely dry and boring? Well, that’s what this post is about. Today I want to teach you a simple method for making a whole, juicy roasted chicken that turns out great– every single time!
How to roast a whole chicken
There are a million different ways to roast a chicken, and I suppose most of us would tend to revert to the way our mothers did it as being “The best way.” Or perhaps, in the modern day, we would tend to lean more into trendy new cookbooks, TV shows, or Instagram reels for our inspiration.
While there are many great ways to roast a chicken, here are the main components I have found that make a great roasted chicken, every time (even when you don’t do the fancy stuff).
- Dry the meat with paper towel before seasoning it (to remove excess water)
- Separate the skin from the meat (makes it easier to season the meat, and allows the skin to get more crispy)
- Season well (using enough salt will prevent a bland bird!)
- Bake on high heat (this will give you a faster bake and a crispier skin)
- Do not over-bake (this will prevent the meat from drying out)
Brining/dry brining chicken: is it really worth it?
It’s possible you’ve heard (or tried!) using a brine solution or a dry salt-brine on your chickens before roasting them. If so, you know, it is worth it… if you have the time. Brining a chicken usually needs to be done at least 12 hours before you want to cook it!
That said, 9 times out of 10 (as a busy mom), I don’t find myself planning well enough (or making enough room in the fridge) for a chicken to sit there brining for 12 hours before I want to cook it. I wish that I were more organized than that, but the fact of the matter is… I’m often not! So, for me (practically speaking), it isn’t possible much of the time to make a brined bird for dinner.
There, my friend, is where recipes like this one come in really handy. This simple recipe makes a delicious, tender, and well seasoned meat with a much faster method for preparation.
Different ways to roast a whole chicken
There are 3 different ways that I like to roast my chickens.
- Whole, in a roasting pan (as in this recipe)
This is the easiest method, requiring less prep and faster cleanup. - Whole, on a steaming rack
With this method, the chicken is roasted on a rack so that air can circulate around the bird, allowing more of the skin to get crispy - Spatchcocked (or “butterflied”) on a roasting pan or cooling rack
This method is the best for even, fast baking and crispy skin. To butterfly a chicken, you cut the bird in half down the back using a sharp knife or poultry shears, and then flip it over and press down on the breast to lay it flat. Bake the chicken laying flat on a cookie sheet, or bake it on top of a cooling rack placed over a cookie sheet.
The best vegetables to roast with chicken
You can pretty much roast any variety of vegetables with a chicken, but my personal favourites are the oh-so-simple and cost effective choice: potatoes and carrots. Other favourites would be Brussels sprouts, turnips, parsnips, cauliflower or rutabaga.
For potatoes, my favourites to roast with chicken are the really creamy, less starchy varieties like yellow or new potatoes.
How to prep vegetables to roast with meat
For the best results, wash and prepare the vegetables and chop them into large chunks. Then toss them in a little bit of olive oil with a good amount of salt and a dash or two of pepper. Scatter the vegetable chunks around the meat in a roasting pan and bake as directed by the recipe.
Searing chicken before baking
I confess, I often skip this step; however, this is something that my Oma always used to do with her chicken, and hers was always incredible.
Contrary to common belief, searing the meat does not “lock in the juices” so much as it brings out that delicious, caramelized, seared flavour that comes from the high heat making contact with the outside of the chicken. My favourite way to sear meat is just with salt and a bit of oil in a cast iron pan, and then move the bird to my baking dish, adding my other spices at the end (to prevent them from burning).
What temperature to roast a whole chicken
I like to roast my chickens between 375-400 degrees F (190-200 degrees C). At this hot temperature, the chicken will cook quickly (without drying out) and the skin will get nice and crispy.
How long to roast a whole chicken
I usually budget about 1 hour to roast a whole chicken (a little less if it’s on the small side, and a little longer if it’s on the large side). A fully thawed, 5-7 lb chicken should take about 1 hour to bake through.
Should I roast my chicken covered or uncovered?
I always bake my roasted chickens uncovered so that the skin can get nice and crispy. If you cover the chicken before you bake it, the skin will stay soft and pale, and any vegetables around the meat will remain completely soft as well.
Can you cook a partially frozen chicken?
Yes; however, bear in mind that if you do, it will increase the baking time and may affect how evenly the chicken cooks (ie, you may find that the breast is more dry by the time the chicken is baked).
How to know that your chicken is fully cooked
You can tell if a chicken is fully cooked by inserting a meat thermometer into the leg or thigh of the chicken (the dark meat takes longer to cook than the breast). Once the thermometer reads 170-180 degrees F (75-82 degrees C), your chicken is fully cooked. The technical temperature for a fully cooked chicken is 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), but I confess- I like to let it go just a little higher than that, and I always find my chicken to still come out deliciously tender and not dried out.
The old school way to check if a chicken is done is just to insert a sharp knife or granny fork into the leg or the thigh. If the knife/fork slides in easily and the juices run clear, the chicken should be ready to eat.*
*For your safety: Checking the temperature via a meat thermometer is the only reliable way to make sure that the chicken is completely done.
How to make gravy from a roasted chicken
You can easily make gravy from a roasted chicken. Here’s how:
- Heat all of the chicken drippings from your roasting pan in a small pot. If the mixture is too salty, add a little bit of water until it tastes like a nice savoury broth. You can also add extra chicken broth to make the mixture go further.
- Mix together a little bit of flour or cornstarch with an equal amount of water (to make a smooth paste). Add the flour/cornstarch paste to the chicken juices and whisk, cooking over medium heat, until smooth and thickened.
Measurements for making perfect gravy:
You will need 1 Tbsp of flour or cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp of water for every 1 cup of chicken broth to make a perfect gravy consistency.
You will need:
- Ingredients (see recipe card)
- Paper towel
- Measuring spoons
- Small glass mixing bowl
- Roasting pan, baking dish, dutch oven or cookie sheet
- Meat thermometer
- Sharp knife & meat fork
- Cutting board
Other useful tools: Steaming rack, cooling rack, poultry shears, or a cast iron pan (for searing).
Juicy Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary
A simple homemade roast chicken recipe with fresh lemon and rosemary.
Ingredients
- 1 large whole chicken (about 2-3kg or 5-7lb)
- 1/2 Tbsp salt + a little extra for the top
- 1 medium lemon washed and halved
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper (or to your liking)
- olive oil for searing (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
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Rinse the chicken with cold water, and pat dry with paper towel. Discard the paper towel.
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Separate the skin of the chicken from the meat as much as you can by slipping your hand and fingers underneath the skin across the whole surface of the chicken (primarily the breast, thighs, and legs). Measure the salt into a small bowl, and then rub all of the salt underneath the skin and over all of the meat.
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Stuff the two lemon halves into the cavity of the chicken.
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OPTIONAL: Place your roasting pan or a frying pan over medium-high heat with a bit of olive oil. Sear the chicken (top and bottom) in hot oil until just golden on the surface (this is for extra flavour, but you can skip this step if you prefer. Handle the meat with a meat fork to protect your hands from the heat.
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Sprinkle the surface of the chicken (top and bottom) with a little bit of extra salt, dried rosemary, and pepper, again handling the meat with a fork. Place the chicken into a small roasting pan, add prepared vegetables if desired*, and bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour (or until a thermometer reads 170-180 degrees F (75-82 degrees C) when inserted into the thigh or leg).
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Carve & serve hot.
Recipe Notes
*TO MAKE ROASTED CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES:
I like to make my roasted chicken with potatoes and carrots. My favourite way to do this is to peel and chop the vegetables into large chunks, and toss them in a large bowl with a dash of olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. Stir the veggies to coat with oil and seasoning, and then arrange them around the chicken in your roasting pan. Bake as directed, checking the chicken for the correct temperature, and making sure a knife slides into the vegetables easily.
My mom’s old fashioned meat fork:
You can get your own old fashioned granny fork if you like something smaller to handle than a large carving fork.
If you like this recipe, you may also like:
That’s all for today! If you enjoy this recipe, let me know in the comments! I always love to hear from you.
Bye for now,
–Naomi
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