This whole roasted chicken is a dinner the whole family will love made with flavorful, juicy meat and crispy, buttery skin.

Whole Roasted Chicken

From the recipe collection of Tara Ippolito

Whole roasted chicken is a recipe that every person should have in their collection.

It’s a dinner time staple in most homes and for very good reason.

It’s affordable, simple to put together and can easily serve a crowd.

The meat is juicy, the skin is crispy and it’s loaded with tons of overall flavor. Not to mention, it’s super easy to make, too.

When I first started cooking, the thought of roasting a whole chicken was a bit intimidating to me.

It looked so impressive that I just assumed it would be a difficult process. Luckily for me, that wasn’t the case at all.

One of the best things about roasting a chicken is the leftovers. There are so many delicious recipes that can be made using the chicken after.

Like my White Chicken Enchiladas or Easy Chicken Tetrazzini. The possibilities are endless.

That is assuming there are any leftovers to use. My family usually gobbles this up in no time.

I hope you give this recipe a try. I’d you do, I know you’ll love it just as much as my family and I do.

Fast. Simple. Delicious.

Did you know that I have a cookbook called Fast Simple Delicious? It’s 60 no fuss no fail comfort food recipes perfect for busy weekday dinners.

Click HERE to order your copy or click the 3 lines in the top right corner and click “Book”. Thank you for the support. 

Whole Roasted Chicken Variations

I like this roasted chicken recipe made just the way it is, but here are some ways to change it up if you’d like to.

• Chicken- use any size chicken you’d like. It all works! This also works on quartered chicken pieces, legs or thighs. Just be sure to adjust cooking times so that the meat is cooked all the way through.
• Seasoning- The great part about this recipe is that you can adjust it to your liking. Add or take away any seasoning that you’d like.
• Liquid- Add some fresh lemon juice, broth or wine to the bottom of a roasting pan for some extra flavor and to keep the chicken moist.

• Vegetables- the chicken can be placed on top of vegetables like potatoes, carrots and onions while it cooks if you’d like to do that, too.
• Pan Sauce- I like to serve this roasted chicken recipe with a homemade pan sauce made from the drippings. This is completely optional and can be served alone. If you’d like to try the sauce, click HERE.

Other Easy Chicken Recipes

If you like super easy to make chicken recipes like this one, here are some others that I know you’ll love, too.

• Crockpot Smothered Chicken Legs
• Fried Honey BBQ Wings
• Crockpot White Chicken Chili
• Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs

Whole Roasted Chicken Ingredients

• Whole Chicken, giblets removed
• Butter, softened
• Fresh Rosemary
• Fresh Thyme
• Garlic, minced
• Lemon, quartered
• Onion, quartered
• Celery, cut into large pieces
• Olive Oil
• Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Poultry Seasoning and Onion Powder

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°

First, rinse and dry the chicken very well.

Now, season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper and stuff it with the fresh rosemary and thyme first (so it doesn’t burn), then add the pieces of lemon, onion and celery.

Next, in a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, chopped rosemary and thyme.

Then, lift the skin up from the breast and place most of the butter under the skin of the chicken (reserve about 4 tbs for later). It can look lumpy because the butter will melt in evenly, don’t worry too much about getting it perfectly even.

Now, mix the olive oil to the butter and spread it over the surface of the chicken.

Next, season the outside of the chicken with a little more salt and pepper, paprika and poultry seasoning.

Then, using butchers twine, tie together the chicken legs and place the chicken onto a roasting pan or wire rack on top of a baking sheet.

Now, place it into the lowest rack of the oven for about 1 hour and fifteen minutes- one hour and a half or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°.

Then, let the chicken rest for about 5-10 minutes before slicing.

If you’d like to make a sauce with the pan drippings, do so now. If you need a great recipe, CLICK HERE.

Finally, slice the chicken into pieces, serve warm and with the pan sauce (optional) and enjoy!