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Overhead shot of whole roasted dutch oven chicken on a serving tray with a knife.
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5 from 5 votes

Dutch Oven Chicken

A crispy and juicy whole roasted chicken that cooks in a Dutch oven!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken in dutch oven, dutch oven chicken, roast chicken, whole roasted chicken
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Resting Time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 578kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 1 (5-6 lb.) whole chicken, giblets removed
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • ½ of an onion, cut into 4 pieces
  • 1 stalk celery, quartered
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 long sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled but not chopped
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for coating the Dutch oven
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
  • Kitchen twine

Instructions

  • Allow chicken to sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly coat the bottom of a Dutch oven with vegetable oil.
  • Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season the inside cavity of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with onion, celery, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves. It’s okay if you can’t fit everything in there – just stuff as much in as you can! Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings underneath the bird. Place the chicken (breast-side up) in the Dutch oven.
    Hands holding a whole chicken to place it in a blue Dutch oven.
  • Drizzle or brush the melted butter over the outside of the chicken. Season liberally all over with salt and pepper.
    Brushing a whole chicken with butter in a dutch oven.
  • Roast the chicken uncovered at 425°F 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, cover the pot with the lid for the remainder of the roasting time. Remove chicken from the pot and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
    A crisp and juicy whole roasted dutch oven chicken on a blue and white tray.

Video

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 meat 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 and pepper. This is a big piece of meat, so you want to add plenty of flavor by using enough seasoning both inside and outside the bird.
  • 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.
  • Use additional fresh herbs as a garnish (shown here) just before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the chicken | Calories: 578kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 199mg | Sodium: 222mg | Potassium: 463mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 577IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg