• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Living Well Kitchen
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizer & Snacks
      • Snacks
    • Main Dish
      • Vegetarian
      • Seafood
      • Meat
      • Poultry
      • Pork
    • Specific Recipes
      • Vegetarian
        • Vegan
      • Kid Friendly
      • Gluten Free
      • Dairy Free
      • Nut Free
      • Egg Free
      • Soy Free
    • Sides
      • Vegetables
      • Beans
      • Grains
      • Potatoes
      • Bread
      • Sauce
    • Salad
    • Soup
    • Drinks
    • Dessert
    • Slow Cooker
    • Instant Pot
    • Season
      • Winter
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
  • About
    • Meet Meme
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Videos
  • Easy Meals
  • Quiz
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Favorites
  • Easy Meals
  • Main Dish
  • Health
  • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Favorites
    • Easy Meals
    • Main Dish
    • Health
    • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ร—

    Home ยป Recipes ยป Special Diet ยป Dairy Free

    Perfect Roasted Chicken

    Published: Apr 30, 2014 ยท Updated: Oct 8, 2018 ยท Post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    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.

    Every single detail you need to make the Perfect Roasted Chicken every single time! This recipe is fool-proof for making a whole chicken roasted perfectly in the oven. Quite possibly the tastiest way to enjoy 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}

    [clickToTweet tweet="Every single detail you need to make the Perfect Roasted Chicken every single time!" quote="Every single detail you need to make the Perfect Roasted Chicken every single time!"]

    Perfect Roasted Chicken from Living Well Kitchen

    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 โ…” {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

    Perfect Roasted Chicken from Living Well Kitchen

    ~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.

    Perfect Roasted Chicken from Living Well Kitchen

    ~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.

    Perfect Roasted Chicken from Living Well Kitchen

    ~Transfer your chicken to the oven. Turn the temperature to 400°F, and set the timer for 60 minutes.

    Perfect Roasted Chicken from Living Well Kitchen

    ~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.

    Perfect Roasted Chicken from Living Well Kitchen

    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

    Perfect Roasted Chicken from Living Well Kitchen

    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 from Living Well Kitchen

    Perfect Roasted Chicken

    Every single detail you need to make the Perfect Roasted Chicken every single time!
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Author: Meme

    Ingredients

    • 1 onion chopped
    • 1 whole chicken 3-4 lb.
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    optional:

    • ยพ teaspoon paprika
    • ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ยผ 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 โ…” {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
    Did you try this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment & recipe rating below. Bonus points for tagging @memeinge & #livingwellkitchen on Instagram! THANK YOU! xo

    [showhide type="post" more_text="Click here for Nutrition Facts" less_text="Clear Nutrition Facts"]
    *

    Nutrition Facts
    Perfect Roasted Chicken
    Serving Size
     
    0.25 chicken
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    384
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    28
    g
    43
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    7
    g
    44
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    122
    mg
    41
    %
    Sodium
     
    696
    mg
    30
    %
    Potassium
     
    318
    mg
    9
    %
    Protein
     
    30
    g
    60
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    490
    IU
    10
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    2.6
    mg
    3
    %
    Calcium
     
    18
    mg
    2
    %
    Iron
     
    1.6
    mg
    9
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    *
    [/showhide]

    What to use in this recipe:


    Meme

    Doesn't this recipe look good?! You should probably pin it for later:

    whole chicken on foil lined baking sheet with herbs

    More Dairy Free

    • white bowl with tomato salsa next to fresh cilantro, garlic, onion, and lemon on a wooden table.
      Low Sodium Salsa
    • white bowl of mango salsa black beans on a white counter.
      Mango Black Bean Salsa
    • glasses with ginger lemon and cucumber water next to fresh mint, lemon, ginger, and cucumber.
      Cucumber Lemon Ginger Water
    • These tasty vegan avocado black bean burgers are delicious, filling, and easy on your wallet
      Avocado Black Bean Burgers
    2.6K shares
    • Yummly
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jan says

      October 21, 2019 at 9:47 pm

      5 stars
      Perfection! Thanks for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
      • Meme says

        October 22, 2019 at 4:50 am

        HOORAY!! Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for coming back to share your experience ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Meme (a brunette female) is holding umbrella and spinning around in front of the Eiffel Tower wearing a denim jacket, skirt, and blue shoesHi, I'm Meme, a thirty-something registered dietitian nutritionist from Alabama living in San Diego. Here to help you enjoy food, feel better in your body at any size, and live free of diets & shame.
    Read More

    Let's Connect

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Most Popular

    silver fork on a white plate with green beans and pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes covered in gravy.

    Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

    jar of chocolate sauce with a spoon in it. empty small glass ice cream cups with a bowl of cherries on a wicker table

    Easy Chocolate Sauce

    Slow Cooker with French Toast Casserole syrup and blueberries

    Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole

    chicken salad and a ritz cracker in a glass bowl on white table with green napkin

    No Mayo Chicken Salad

    bowl of turkey white bean chili topped with fresh avocado next fresh avocado and cilantro.

    White Bean Turkey Chili

    white plate with cream cheese stuffed peppers surrounded by baby bell peppers, walnuts, jalapeno, and a napkin

    Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers

    close up of a bowl of lamb curry over rice sprinkled with mint and coconut flakes.

    Instant Pot Lamb Curry

    cream colored plate with veggie egg muffins on blue table with sliced oranges and a white napkin

    Spinach Egg Muffins

    Intuitive Eating

    brunette female holding a heart shaped pizza in a Parisian cafe

    Why Emotional Eating Isn't Bad

    hand holding an apple in front of apple trees

    Should I Eat Conventional or Organic Produce?

    havanese dog standing on arm of cream chair with a quilt in chair

    Intuitive Eating and Weight Loss

    brunette female sitting in a blanket in Versaille garden smiling and holding a container of container of food she is about to be eating

    What is Intuitive Eating

    Easy Meals

    bowl of Roasted Sausage and Veggies with pepper and onion and baking sheet of vegetables

    Roasted Sausage and Veggies

    bowls of broccoli and chickpeas topped with bacon next to a microplane with parmesan wedge, cream and yellow napkin, and blue pot with broccoli

    Chickpeas Broccoli and Bacon

    plate of Sun-Dried Tomato Tuna Salad eggs

    Sun Dried Tomato Tuna Salad

    green napkin with spoons, two white bowls with pumpkin chili topped with cheese and green onions, blue pot of chili with orange spoon

    Pumpkin Chili

    Salad

    bag of lentils, fresh tomatoes, and a clear bowl with lentils, mozzarella, walnuts, tomatoes, and basil on a straw mat.

    Caprese Lentil Tomato Salad

    glass bowl of roasted vegetable lentil salad next to fresh rosemary, lemon, and scattered green lentils.

    Roasted Vegetable Lentil Salad

    white bowl with avocado egg salad.

    Avocado Egg Salad

    white countertop with clear bowl of miso dressing with a silver spoon next to a container of miso paste and a microplane with fresh ginger

    Miso Dressing

    As Seen On:

    As Seen On

    In Season

    white bowl with tomato salsa next to fresh cilantro, garlic, onion, and lemon on a wooden table.

    Low Sodium Salsa

    white bowl of mango salsa black beans on a white counter.

    Mango Black Bean Salsa

    stacked chicken salad melt sandwich surrounded by fresh tomatoes, parsley, and a bowl of chicken salad.

    Chicken Salad Grilled Cheese

    plate with a bowl of salsa, english muffin, and yellow breakfast stuffed pepper.

    Breakfast Stuffed Peppers

    Footer

    Living Well Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    • Home
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Videos
    • Easy Meals
    • Quiz

    Copyright © 2023

    We use cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    2588 shares