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Square overhead shot of a Dutch oven roast chicken.
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5 from 7 votes

Dutch Oven Whole Chicken

A juicy Dutch oven roast chicken with crispy skin and tender meat. The perfect simple Sunday supper or weeknight dinner!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken in dutch oven, dutch oven baked chicken, dutch oven chicken, dutch oven roast chicken, dutch oven whole 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

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 (5-6 lb.) whole chicken, giblets removed
  • Kosher salt and ground 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

Instructions

  • Allow the chicken to sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly coat the bottom of a Dutch oven with vegetable oil.
  • Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season the inside cavity of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Stuff the 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.
  • Drizzle or brush the melted butter over the outside of the chicken. Season liberally all over with salt and pepper.
  • 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 the chicken from the pot and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.

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.

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