Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
The best oven roasted chicken recipe starts with plenty of fresh rosemary and thyme, lemon, garlic, vegetables and potatoes. With a golden brown exterior and flavorful, juicy meat, this easy dish is totally irresistible! Serve the crispy roast chicken with a side of biscuits, cornbread or pumpkin muffins for a cozy dinner that the whole family will enjoy.
Oven Roasted Whole Chicken
There’s something magical about a simple oven roasted chicken. It’s one of the easiest meals that any home cook can serve, you can prepare the meat in a variety of ways, and it’s almost impossible to mess up! Even with the most basic seasonings (like salt and pepper), you can achieve a really delicious bird with so much natural flavor. Add some fresh rosemary, thyme, garlic and lemon, and the crispy roast chicken is absolute perfection!
What is the difference between roasting and baking a chicken?
While these terms are often used interchangeably, they’re not actually the same. Roasting and baking are both dry heat cooking methods that use hot air to conduct heat at 300°F or higher. Originally, roasting described food that was cooked over an open flame. Today, roasting is done in an oven. Technically, roasting requires a higher temperature (400°F and above) to create a browned, flavorful “crust” on the outside of the chicken, while baking occurs at lower oven temperatures (up to 375°F).
The higher roasting temperature for this recipe (425°F) yields chicken with a beautiful golden brown, crispy skin and tender, juicy meat. It truly can’t be beat!
Do you cover chicken when roasting in oven?
For this recipe, you’ll roast the chicken uncovered the entire time. This allows the skin to get incredibly crispy in the oven, turning that beautiful golden brown color. If you are roasting a larger chicken that requires a longer cooking time, you may need to cover the bird loosely with foil towards the end to prevent excessive browning.
Ingredients for a Simple Roast Chicken Recipe in Oven
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for an oven roasted chicken. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Whole chicken: I use a larger 5-6 lb. chicken, which easily feeds a family of 4-5. Smaller chickens will cook faster, and larger chickens will require a bit more time (use a thermometer to know when your bird is done).
- Kosher salt and pepper: to season the chicken.
- Small red potatoes: cook in the pan with the chicken, soaking up the drippings and becoming nice and crispy. Cut small potatoes in half, larger red potatoes into quarters.
- Carrots and onion: additional vegetables that roast in the pan with the chicken.
- Olive oil: adds flavor to the roasted vegetables, prevents them from sticking to the pan, and helps them brown and crisp in the oven.
- Rosemary, thyme, lemon, celery, garlic: aromatics that flavor the meat as it roasts.
- Butter: brushing the skin with melted butter before roasting adds flavor and helps the skin brown.
How to Roast a Chicken in the Oven
This oven roasted whole chicken comes together easily and is entirely hands-off. Just pop it in the oven and your job is done until carving time!
- Arrange potatoes and vegetables in the bottom of the roasting pan; toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary.
- Arrange the chicken on top of the vegetables.
- Prepare the chicken by stuffing, trussing, and brushing with melted butter. Season with salt and pepper.
- Roast the chicken in a 425°F oven for about 1 ½ hours.
- Rest for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Roast Chicken Temperature
A whole chicken is ready when a meat thermometer inserted between a leg and thigh (not touching the bone) reads at least 170-175° F. Note: the temperature of the meat will continue to rise slightly when you pull it out of the oven.
What to Serve with Rosemary Oven Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
An easy oven roasted chicken makes a perfect Sunday supper. Pair the juicy meat, veggies and potatoes with any of these extra sides:
- Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
- Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits or Drop Biscuits
- Skillet Cornbread, Honey Cornbread or Corn Muffins
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Roasted Cabbage
- Homemade Applesauce
- Mac and Cheese
Storage
Leftover chicken will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be aware, however, that the skin will not be as crispy when thawed.
How to Reheat
Allow the chicken to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Arrange chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet or roasting pan and place (uncovered) in the oven until the skin is crisp and the chicken is warmed through. Be careful not to leave the chicken in the oven for too long or it will dry out.
How to Use Leftover Rosemary Roasted Chicken
Shred the leftover meat and use the cooked chicken in casseroles (like Chicken Spaghetti, Chicken Noodle Casserole or Chicken and Stuffing Casserole), in soups (like Chicken Tortilla Soup or Brunswick Stew), in stuffed potatoes, in Chicken Salad, in Chicken Enchiladas, for Chicken Pot Pie, or on top of Caesar Salad. So many delicious options!
Tips for the Best Oven Roasted Chicken Recipe
- Bring the chicken to room temperature for about 30 minutes before roasting in order to ensure even cooking.
- For the crispiest skin, make sure that your chicken is very dry before roasting.
- Cooking time will vary depending on the total weight of your chicken. Always use a thermometer to test the internal temperature of the meat to know when it’s done.
- Truss the chicken. This only takes a minute or two, but tying together the chicken legs with twine and tucking the wings underneath helps the chicken cook evenly.
- Season liberally. Don’t be shy with the salt. This is a big piece of meat, so you want to add plenty of flavor by using enough seasoning.
- For the juiciest meat, allow the chicken to rest for at least 10-15 minutes before carving.
- Don’t omit the butter. The butter on the outside helps to make sure that the exterior is perfectly crispy and golden brown, and it also adds great flavor.
More Flavorful Whole Chicken Recipes
Rosemary Oven Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 small red potatoes, halved (or quartered for larger potatoes)
- 6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 large sweet onion, cut into 8 pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 7 sprigs fresh rosemary plus 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 (5-6 lb.) whole chicken, patted dry; giblets removed
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 1 stalk celery, quartered
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled but not chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- Kitchen twine, for tying
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place the potatoes, carrots and onions in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons of minced fresh rosemary; toss to coat.
- Season chicken cavity with salt and pepper.
- Stuff chicken cavity with lemon chunks, celery, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and garlic cloves. It’s fine if you can’t fit all of these ingredients into your chicken. Just stuff as much in there as you can!
- Place chicken in the roasting pan on top of the vegetable mixture.
- Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wings underneath the bird.
- Drizzle or brush melted butter over the outside of the chicken. Season liberally all over with salt and pepper.
- Roast the chicken for 1 ½ hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh and the temperature on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 170-175°F. Check the chicken after the first hour, and if the skin starts to get too dark, tent the chicken loosely with foil for the remainder of the roasting time.
- Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Bring the chicken to room temperature for about 30 minutes before roasting in order to ensure even cooking.
- For the crispiest skin, make sure that your chicken is very dry before roasting.
- Cooking time will vary depending on the total weight of your chicken. Always use a thermometer to test the internal temperature of the meat to know when it’s done.
- Truss the chicken. This only takes a minute or two, but tying together the chicken legs with twine and tucking the wings underneath helps the chicken cook evenly.
- Season liberally. Don’t be shy with the salt. This is a big piece of meat, so you want to add plenty of flavor by using enough seasoning.
- For the juiciest meat, allow the chicken to rest for at least 10-15 minutes before carving.
- Don’t omit the butter. The butter on the outside helps to make sure that the exterior is perfectly crispy and golden brown, and it also adds great flavor.
Made this recipe recently following directions exactly except I did not cover after it came out of the oven. Have never roasted a chicken at that high temperature before and was worried it would burn but it came out just like yours–lovely brown and very crispy. Love having the veggies in there to make a complete meal. Very juicy and delicious and smells amazing cooking! Perfect meal for a cool fall day!
Thank you so much, Norma! It’s on our dinner menu tonight, too! 🙂
Our roasted chicken turned out perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that, Karen! It’s one of my personal favorites. 🙂
My kids and I loved this. Easy to assemble and the chicken was moist with great flavor! Potatoes and carrots were tender and delicious! I added 3/4 of a can of chicken broth to the pan before cooking.
Thank you, Patrick!
Hi! We don’t eat dairy, so what would be a good substitute to brush on top of the chicken? Thanks!
Hi, Liz! You can just rub or brush the outside of the chicken with olive oil instead of butter. That will help it brown nicely as well. 🙂