Every single detail you need to make the Perfect Whole Roasted Chicken every single time! This recipe is fool-proof for making a whole chicken roasted in the oven. Quite possibly the tastiest and one of the easiest ways to enjoy chicken. Includes steps for how to make this show stopping, simple whole chicken.
A good roasted chicken is hard to beat. In fact, I think it's one of those meals that everyone should know how to cook.
Yes, a whole chicken can be a little intimidating but it need not be. Promise!
If you have the basics down, then you can make a Perfect Roasted Chicken like a champ every.single.time. And lucky for you, I have tested this specific recipe at least 3 times in the past month to triple check that it works every.single.time {it does!}
To make the Perfect Roasted Chicken you only need a chicken, oil, and some salt. Really, that's all you must have. However, there are a few ingredients that can add great flavor to your perfect chicken and those things include onion, garlic, lemon, herbs, and spices.
Now that you have the ingredients, there are just a few things that you need to do to make a good chicken, and they are all very simple things.
We'll start with the very basics first...
-Pat the chicken dry {inside & out}
-Rub with salt & any additional spices
-Fill chicken cavity with goodies {onion, garlic, lemon, herbs}
-Put the chicken in the oven & roast for one hour
-Use a meat thermometer to determine if the chicken is done {roast 5-15 minutes longer if needed}
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Here are all the deets...
~Start by preheating the oven to 450°F and lining a rimmed baking sheet with foil {this is for easier clean-up; this step is optional}. Make sure that the oven racks are in the bottom third of the oven.
~Chop a large onion and put about ⅔ {about 1 cup} in a pile in the center of the baking sheet. Set aside the other onion {it will go inside the cavity of the chicken}. You can also use a few carrots for this if you don't have onion. Or you can use a combination of onions & carrots. It all works
~Gather together the goodies you'll stuff inside the chicken. Chopped onion, smashed garlic cloves, herbs {thyme & rosemary are my personal faves}, lemon wedges all make for a glorious Perfect Roasted Chicken
~Make a spice rub {if using}. I use salt, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne. Sometimes I'll use lemon pepper or regular pepper if I remember. All you really need is salt.
~Open your chicken from the package and take out the insides. Just reach your hand in that chicken cavity and get out the organs and any other delights that are inside that chicken. You won't need those for the Perfect Roasted Chicken. {And now you are done with the worst part! Woohoo!}. Don't bother washing the chicken; it's pointless.
~Now take a few paper towels or a dish towel and pat the chicken dry. Really dry it off. You want a nice & dry chicken. Nice & dry chicken = crispy skin = yum!
~Rub the very dry chicken with about one tablespoon of oil. I prefer oil for the crispiest skin. Butter has a little water in it so it can potentially make the skin a little soggier. It's your preference though. Make sure you coat the entire chicken with oil. And be brave and rub some oil under the skin to get that chicken breast. You'll be glad you did later.
~Then rub with salt or the spice mixture, if you made one. Once again, muster up the courage to stick your hand under that chicken skin and rub the chicken breast with salt and spices. Seasoned chicken = delicious chicken. If you have leftover spice mixture, just sprinkle it inside the chicken cavity.
~Finish up the chicken by filling it with goodies. My favorite thing to fill the chicken with is a quartered lemon, some chopped onion, smashed garlic cloves, and rosemary & thyme. Carrots, celery, extra spices would be wonderful in there, too.
~Now transfer your well-seasoned and filled chicken to the baking sheet. Put in on top of the onion, breast side up. However, I have roasted a chicken breast side down because I wasn't paying attention {see picture below, ha} and it was just as yummy. I honestly don't think it's a huge deal whether or not it's breast side up or down. Just put the chicken on top of the chopped onion {or carrots} and call it a day.
~Transfer your chicken to the oven. Turn the temperature to 400°F, and set the timer for 60 minutes.
~Check the chicken after it has cooked for one hour. I think a meat thermometer is invaluable here because it gives you the most accurate read for whether or not your chicken is ready. It's worth the $5 investment and will save that lingering worry that your chicken isn't done or overcooked.
Stick the thermometer in the thickest part of the muscle which is the thigh area of a chicken {make sure your thermometer doesn't touch the bone, though}. Cook to a minimum of 165°F. If it's not ready, then stick back in the oven for 5-15 minutes until your beautiful bird has reached an internal temperature of 165°F
And that's it! Your Perfect Roasted Chicken is ready!
OK, so I realize that it looks like a lot, but it really is just every single step with every single teeny tiny detail.
Perfect Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 whole chicken 3-4 lb.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
optional:
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 lemon quartered
- thyme
- rosemary
- parsley
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 450°F and lining a rimmed baking sheet with foil {this is for easier clean-up; this step is optional}. Make sure that the oven racks are in the bottom third of the oven.
- Put about ⅔ {about 1 cup} onion in a pile in the center of the baking sheet. Set aside the remaining onion {to go inside the cavity of the chicken}.
- Open your chicken from the package and take out the insides; discard. Don't bother washing the chicken. Pat the chicken really dry.
- Rub the very dry chicken with oil, coating the entire chicken and under the skin.
- Then rub with salt and the spices, if using.
- Finish up the chicken by filling it with goodies: onion, garlic, lemon, herbs, whatever
- Now transfer your well-seasoned and filled chicken to the baking sheet. Put in on top of the onion, breast side up.
- Transfer your chicken to the oven. Turn the temperature down to 400°F, and set the timer for 60 minutes.
- Check the chicken after it has cooked for one hour. Stick the thermometer in the thickest part of the muscle which is the thigh area of a chicken. Cook to a minimum of 165°F. If it's not ready, then stick back in the oven for 5-15 minutes until it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F
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What to use in this recipe:
Meme
Doesn't this recipe look good?! You should probably pin it for later:
Jan says
Perfection! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Meme says
HOORAY!! Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for coming back to share your experience 🙂