You only need a few minutes of hands-on time to prepare the chicken, and then the oven does the rest! It’s such an easy recipe that anyone can make it. A whole roasted chicken is shockingly so much easier to make than you think! Follow the step-by-step guide below, and you’ll have perfect, crispy roasted chicken every single time.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Chicken — make sure you fully thaw the chicken before you start preparing it. If you have purchased a frozen chicken, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Salt and pepper — it’s important you season with enough salt and pepper to ensure the chicken doesn’t taste bland. Lemon — skip the bottled lemon juice and use a fresh lemon, as you’ll need the rind to go inside the chicken. This way, the lemon imparts more flavor to the chicken as it roasts. Garlic — again, you’ll need fresh garlic, not dried garlic powder. When stuffed into the cavity, the garlic, fresh thyme, and lemon add fantastic flavor to the chicken.
How to Make Roasted Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place it in a large roasting pan.
- In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, oil, salt, and pepper.
- Gently loosen the skin on the chicken breast and thighs and rub the butter mixture under the skin and all over the outside of the chicken. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken.
- Place the lemon rinds in the cavity along with the halved garlic and 3 thyme sprigs.
- Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together. Place the onion slices and the remaining 3 sprigs of thyme around the chicken in the bottom of the pan.
- Place the chicken into a 450°F oven and reduce the temperature to 425°F. Bake until golden brown and a thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165°F, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, basting with juices every 30 minutes. Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with roasted onion and pan drippings.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
Make sure to remove as much moisture from the chicken as possible before you start seasoning it. The more dry your chicken, the crispier the skin will be.Rubbing the butter mixture underneath the skin ensures that flavor will soak into the meat itself instead of just sitting on top of the skin.Don’t skip resting the chicken before serving. Resting the chicken after roasting allows the juices to soak back into the meat, so the chicken is more moist and tender. If you cut into the chicken too soon, the juices will run out onto the cutting board.Make sure to use kitchen twine to truss the chicken, as it’s oven-safe. You shouldn’t skip tying the legs together as it creates a uniform shape that helps the chicken cook evenly. It also prevents the chicken breasts from drying out due to an exposed cavity.There is no need to rinse raw chicken. Simply pat the chicken dry of any moisture with a paper towel.When you baste the chicken, work quickly. You lose heat every time you open the oven door to baste, so avoid leaving the oven door open for long periods.
If you’ve tried this Roasted Chicken recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
