whole roast chicken

This easy recipe for whole roast chicken is cooked in a dutch oven and has crispy skin smothered in lemon, garlic, rosemary butter! Add potatoes for a complete one-pot meal.

Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken

chicken (about 4-5 lbs.)

lemons

garlic (3 minced, 2 cut in half)

rosemary

onions

butter ((1/2 stick))

kosher salt (see notes)

black pepper (see notes)

potatoes

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Melt butter (4 tablespoons) in small bowl (I used my Pyrex measuring cup); add minced garlic (3 cloves), chopped rosemary (from 3 sprigs, about 2 tablespoons), the zest of the two lemons, and plenty of kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.

Place the onions in bottom of enameled cast iron dutch oven. Reserve the end scraps. If using potatoes, add them on top of the onions.

Prepare chicken by removing giblets from cavity and patting dry with paper towels.

Liberally season the cavity with salt and pepper. LIBERALLY.

Cut the zested lemons in half; reserve juice and save rinds.

The butter mixture will have hardened slightly by now. Using your hands, slather the mixture liberally over every part of the chicken and under the breast skin (being careful not to tear the skin).

Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the lemon rinds, onion scraps, remaining 2 garlic cloves, and rosemary sprig/stems. Place in dutch oven on top of sliced onions and potatoes, if using.

Tie the legs of the chicken together tightly using kitchen twine.

Pour reserved lemon juice over the chicken.

Roast chicken UNCOVERED for 15 minutes at 475, then reduce heat to 350 and cook STILL UNCOVERED for approximately 20 minutes PER POUND, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees (about 1.5 hours for a 4.5 lb. chicken). The chicken should be uncovered the entire time it cooks, unless it seems like it&#039;s burning (see notes).

Allow the chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.

Easy Greek lemon garlic whole roast chicken is tender, juicy and succulent with the crispiest skin. Prep this flavourful one pan meal in just 15 minutes.

Greek Lemon Garlic Whole Roast Chicken

chicken (3 lbs.)

salt

black pepper

tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

lemon

cup olive oil

garlic, minced

paprika

potatoes,

2 carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces

Pat dry the whole chicken completely with a paper towel before adding seasoning. This helps create an extra crispy skin when roasting. In a small bowl, whisk together salt, pepper and thyme and generously rub all over the chicken, inside and out. Set aside for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight.

Grate the lemon and transfer lemon zest into a small bowl. Then, squeeze out 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into the same bowl, and add olive oil, garlic and paprika, and whisk to combine. Stuff the leftover lemon into the cavity of the chicken. Generously brush half of the lemon mixture over the whole chicken.

In a large mixing bowl, toss to combine the remaining half of the lemon mixture with potatoes and carrots.

Spread the vegetables evenly on the bottom of a large cast-iron skillet or a roasting pan. Place a roasting rack over the vegetables and place the whole chicken on top, breast side up. The roasting rack allows the heat to circulate evenly underneath the meat, as well as around the sides. If you don't have a roasting rack, you can place the chicken directly on top of the vegetables.

Roast the chicken in the preheated oven for 1 to 1.5 hours depending on the size of the chicken, until the internal temperature reaches 165F. You can check the internal temperature by sticking a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast.

To make chicken skins extra crispy and browned, turn on the broil setting to high and broil for an additional 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on the broiler because things can heat up and burn quickly.

Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving (the chicken is still cooking gradually from the residual heat).

Serve with the roasted vegetables, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and a drizzle of extra juices from the pan on top.

Love how well the lemon and garlic flavor the chicken! So tasty!

This recipe is so reminiscent of what my MIL makes and now I can recreate that for my husband  :)

A simple easy recipe for whole Roast Chicken with lemon, garlic and rosemary, baked in the oven over vegetables all in one pan.  (Allow 20-mins hands-on time plus 60 minutes baking time.)

Whole Roast Chicken 

russet potato, 1 inch cubes (no need to peel)

large carrots, 3/4 inch slices, at a diagnol (I like to peel)

onion

lemon, zested, then

olive oil, divided

whole head garlic

lb organic chicken (whole) patted dry, innards removed.

rosemary, divided (or sub thyme, sage or lemon thyme)

salt and pepper

Zaatar Spice

Garam Masala

Cajun Seasoning

Mexican Chili Seasoning

Dukkah!

Ras El Hanout (Moroccan Spice)

Berbere Spice

Preheat oven to 425F (use the middle rack)

Place potatoes, onions, carrots in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Place these in a large ovenproof skillet 12-15 inches wide, or braiser, shallow baking dish or rimmed sheet pan.

Cut the garlic in half and place one half, open side down in the skillet with the veggies. Place one half of the lemon, open side down in the skillet.

Pat the chicken dry, remove any innards. Season the insides and the backside with salt and pepper, then place breast side up on top of the veggies. Stuff the cavity (bottom) with the other garlic half, lemon half, and 6-7 rosemary sprigs. Add a sprig in the neck cavity. Cut the skin between leg and side so legs splay open. (See photo). Or feel free to tie legs up. Drizzle top of bird including legs and wings with olive oil using fingers to rub it evenly if you like. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper getting all the nooks and crannies, wings, inner and outer legs, and thighs.

Place on the middle rack uncovered for 50-60 minutes, rotating halfway through if needed. Use a kitchen thermometer, cook until chicken thighs reach 170-175 F and breasts reach 155-160 F. The nice thing about this is it will happen at roughly the same time. Meat should be opaque and juices should run clear, not pink. If you are using a bigger chicken, then it will take longer. I usually plan 15 mins per pound- ish (for a room temp chicken).  But don&#8217;t rely on time. CHECK IT!!!

Then&#8230; LET IT REST! 15 minutes! This is probably the hardest part of the recipe because you will be dying to dive right into it. But letting the meat relax will help keep it juicy and moist.

So in our house of two, this is how we like to serve it: We&#8217;ll carve off the breasts and serve with the veggies and salad. Then while we are eating, I&#8217;ll flip the chicken over and broil it.

 BROIL THE BACKSIDE! 

Turn the bird over and place it back in the oven, under the broiler (still on the middle rack) to get the backsides crispy for 4-5 minutes. (Be careful not to burn!!!)(By the time Brian is ready for seconds- the legs, thigh, and wings are by now, nice and crispy. To me, there is nothing worse than gelatinous skin. So crisp that backside up!)

Can't wait .  I usually do a  french pot , covered.  Delicious as well , but like this one too.
Thank you.

Came out perfect. My new go-to recipe for roasting a whole chicken. And I agree paying extra for organic here really makes a difference.

Made this last Friday and there were happy food dances around the table. Thank you!

So easy and so delicious.  I like the idea of putting it back in the oven, turned over, to brown the skin on the underside.  I have always loved roasted chicken and now I can do it myself...less packaging, great flavor.  thank you!

This made a delicious chicken.  Chicken is not my favorite food, so I was going to be hard to please.  I have to admit that the taste and texture of the chicken together with the “gravy” in the roasting pan from the garlic, lemon, onions, cauliflower, rosemary and carrots was a winner!  I might add some white wine to the vegetables in the bottom next time.  And you could vary the dish easily by choice of herbs/spices.

This recipe always impresses. My mew go to for roasted chicken and veggies.

Alright, I'm super annoyed, mostly at myself but a teensy bit at the recipe too. I'll give 5 stars because I've made it before and it was truly awesome.

However, this time around I DID accidentally use baking soda instead of baking powder. Why did I do that? I've followed thousands of recipes in my life that used one or the other, and never made this mistake before. But none of those recipes had a little note "make sure you don't use baking soda", ensuring that the busy chef who's doing a hundred other things while cooking will glance at the recipe and see the name of the ingredient they're NOT supposed to be using. Why write a recipe this way??? 😵

Learn how to cook a whole chicken with over 10 whole chicken recipes including roasted chicken, instant pot or crockpot whole chicken, spatchcock, and more! One of my favorites is this Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken.

10 Whole Chicken Recipes

1 whole chicken (3 pounds)

tablespoons olive oil

tablespoon Italian seasoning

tablespoon salt

tablespoon ground black pepper

1 apple, sliced

large yellow onion, sliced

head garlic, cut

juice from 1/2 lemon

tablespoons melted butter, divided

2 carrots, chopped into 2-inch long pieces

medium potato, peeled and

teaspoon parsley, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 F. Bring the chicken out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes), this will ensure even cooking. Pat dry the whole chicken completely with a paper towel before adding seasoning. This helps create an extra crispy skin when roasting.

In a small bowl, add olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and mix well with a spoon to combine. Generously smear the seasoning mixture over the whole chicken inside and out. Using disposable gloves to make it easier. Make sure the seasoning covers all over the whole chicken including the inside cavity of the chicken.

Stuff the cavity of the chicken with half the apples, half of the onion, and half of the garlic.

Truss the chicken by tying the chicken snugly with kitchen string so that the wings and legs stay close to the body. This helps cook the whole chicken evenly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and remaining vegetables (carrots, apples, onions, garlic and potatoes). Toss to combine.

Spread the vegetables evenly inside the Dutch oven and place the whole chicken on top. Make sure the breasts of the chicken face upward. Brush the outside of the chicken evenly with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter. Cover the lid and roast the chicken for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 165F, about 20-25 minutes more. You can check the internal temperature by sticking a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast.

To make chicken skins extra crispy and browned, turn on the broil setting to HI and let it broil in the oven for additional 5 minutes. Brush extra melted butter over the skin.

Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving because the chicken is still cooking gradually due to the residual heat.

Serve with the vegetables, a sprinkle of parsley and a drizzle of extra juices from the pan on top.

This best brined roast chicken is the best method for brining your chicken, as far as I know. It blends aromatic vegetables and herbs to the brining solution before adding your chicken. The meat gets infused with lush flavors and juiciness beyond the average brined chicken.

David Leite’s Best Brined Roast Chicken

water

Diamond Crystal kosher salt OR a heaping 3/4 cup Morton's kosher salt

sugar

black peppercorns

leeks

carrots

celery (coarsely chopped)

bay leaves

thyme

ice cubes

(4-to-5-pound) chicken (giblet/gizzard packet removed)

unsalted butter (melted)

Dissolve

Add 3 cups of the cold water to a large Dutch oven or pasta pot. Pour in the salt, sugar, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve, and then turn off the heat.

Blend

Meanwhile, add 2 cups of the water to a high-powered blender or food processor. Working in batches as needed, add the onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary.

Puree

Brine

Add the ice to the pot along with the remaining 6 cups of cold water. Stir until the ice cubes melt and the water is cold. Add the puréed ingredients. Submerge the chicken, cover the pot, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Make the brine

Preheat

Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Place a rack in a roasting pan.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Discard the brine.

Roast

Place the bird on the rack in the pan and tie the legs together with kitchen twine, if desired. Brush with the melted butter and season generously with pepper. Roast (middle rack) for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh meat (away from the bone) registers 165°F (74°C). The skin should be brown and crisp. If it starts to overbrown, loosely cover with a large sheet of aluminum foil.

Rest

Let the chicken sit, loosely tented with aluminum foil, for 15 minutes before carving.

Roast the brined chicken

Roast chicken in a Dutch oven is a terrific way to cook a whole chicken. This recipe uses a novel method for roasting the chicken so that it cooks evenly on all sides and ensures a crispy skin without drying the chicken out.  Carrots and onions caramelized as the roast underneath the chicken, picking up all the delicious flavors from the chicken juices. This is my #1 go-to way for roasting a chicken!

lemon, quartered

shallots, quartered

fresh thyme stalks, divided

unsalted butter

salt and black pepper

carrots,

garlic,

Extra virgin olive oil

chicken broth

Preheat oven to 450° F with a rack...

Preheat oven to 450° F with a rack set in the second position up from the bottom.

Drain any liquid from inside the chicken and...

Drain any liquid from inside the chicken and then pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels. Stuff the inside with the lemon, shallots, half of the thyme, and sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Truss the chicken with kitchen twine, tying the...

Truss the chicken with kitchen twine, tying the wings and legs tightly against the chicken. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl in the microwave until just melted but not hot. Brush the butter all over the chicken and liberally sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.

Grease a 7 ¼-quart Dutch oven (see Note...

Grease a 7 ¼-quart Dutch oven (see Note below) with 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the carrots, onions, and garlic to the pan, leaving a space in the middle for the chicken. Scatter the thyme around the vegetables and sprinkle with a heavy pinch of salt and pepper.

Position the chicken on one of its sides...

Position the chicken on one of its sides in the center of the pot. Cube 2 tablespoons of butter and drop the cubes over the vegetables and then drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Roast uncovered for 35 minutes. Stir the vegetables...

Roast uncovered for 35 minutes. Stir the vegetables around a little and if they are sticking to the bottom of the pan, pour in about a ½ cup of chicken broth to help loosen them up.

Flip the chicken over onto its other side...

Flip the chicken over onto its other side and roast for another 30 minutes. Stir the vegetables again and add up to another ½ cup of chicken broth if they are sticking. Turn the chicken breast-side up and continue roasting for another 15 to 20 minutes until browned, the juices are clear, and the internal temperature of the thigh meat is around 185° F.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board or...

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board or large serving platter and loosely tent with foil; rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Cover the pot with foil to keep the vegetables warm while the chicken rests.

To serve, scoop the vegetables from the pot...

To serve, scoop the vegetables from the pot and serve as a side dish to the chicken.

Top 6 whole roast chicken recipes from across the web

The most viewed whole roast chicken recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken

Greek Lemon Garlic Whole Roast Chic...

Whole Roast Chicken

10 Whole Chicken Recipes

David Leite’s Best Brined Roast Chi...

Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken

Top 6 whole roast chicken recipes from across the web

The most viewed whole roast chicken recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken

Greek Lemon Garlic Whole Roast Chic...

Whole Roast Chicken

10 Whole Chicken Recipes

David Leite’s Best Brined Roast Chi...

Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken

The most viewed whole roast chicken recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine