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We love to eat chicken for dinner, but cooking a whole chicken, always seemed very intimidating! Now that we’ve mastered this easy whole roasted chicken – nothing could be further from the truth! The seasonings are simple but always deliver tender, flavorful results and makes for an easy Sunday dinner or holiday meal!
The best part is this simple and delicious roast chicken recipe takes just a few minutes of hands-on time to make (about 10 minutes!), but tastes like you spent all day cooking it! It’s a dinner classic that never disappoints!
Serve it up with some rolls and your favorite side dish – and you’re set!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Bright flavor. The lemon and rosemary are a classic pairing with chicken making it so delicious!
- 5 ingredients. It really doesn’t take much to make this tasty chicken dinner!
- Perfect for a Sunday dinner or a holiday. It’s BEAUTIFUL and quite the centerpiece – you’d never guess how easy it is!
Roast Chicken Ingredients and Substitutions
- 1 (4-5 pound) whole chicken – (feeds 4-6 people). If using frozen chicken, thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours per pound.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large lemon cut into quarters
- 3-4 sprigs rosemary
- 2 tablespoons salted butter softened – How to Soften Butter Quickly. Mix lemon zest into the butter if desired.
How to Roast a Chicken
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Prepare the chicken by patting it dry with paper towels and removing the giblets and/or gravy pouch.
- SEASON. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place lemon quarters and 3-4 sprigs of rosemary in the cavity. Tie the chicken’s legs together with kitchen twine. Spread 2 tablespoons butter over the top of the skin.
- ROAST. Place chicken in a roasting pan on a rack or a 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake for 60 minutes, then check the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh. Continue cooking, checking every 10 minutes, until it reaches 165°F.
- Roasting covered will yield a soft skin while baking uncovered will cause the skin to crisp. There is no need to baste, but you can if you’d like.
- Remove chicken from the oven and let it sit 10–15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Slow Cooker Instructions
Follow the steps in our Slow Cooker Roast Chicken recipe!
Roast Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (4-5 pound) whole chicken
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 large lemon, cut into quarters
- 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prepare the chicken by patting it dry with paper towels and removing the giblets and/or gravy pouch.
- Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place lemon and rosemary in the cavity. Tie the chicken’s legs together with kitchen twine. Spread butter over the top of the skin.
- Place chicken in a roasting pan or a 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake for 60 minutes, then check the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh. Continue cooking, checking every 10 minutes, until it reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove chicken from the oven and let it sit for 10–15 minutes before carving and serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Remove any remaining meat from the bones and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or freeze for 3-4 months. Use leftover chicken to make sandwiches, salads, soups, and casseroles.
Complete The Meal
Sides
Best Mashed Potatoes
35 mins
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
20 mins
Apple Salad
10 mins
Creamed Corn Recipe
20 mins
Desserts
More Chicken Dinners
How to Bake Chicken
35 mins
Ranch Chicken
45 mins
Chicken Drumsticks in Oven
55 mins
Slow Cooker Roast Chicken
4 hrs 5 mins
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This recipe was originally published February 2019.
Love this easy delicious recipe. Thanks!!
I am happy you do! Thank you for trying it!
Instead of using an aluminum foil ring on the bottom of the crock pot; I layer cut potatoes, carrots and quartered onions on the bottom. This does the same thing as the foil (keeping the chicken above the liquids/juices), but adds so much more flavor !!! Try it, you’ll like it !
That chicken is golden delicious!! I can’t believe how easy it is to make. I love having chicken ready on hand, so this would be also great to make & shred or cut, so it’s ready for other recipes!
Not only is the absolutely beautiful to look at, it tastes amazing. The flavor delicious and its super moist!