Roasted Chicken Recipe

This easy roasted chicken recipe will let you cook once and eat twice! It’s perfect for leftovers!

This whole roasted chicken recipe is very easy to do and the results are always juicy and perfect for a nice crisp skin. you’re going to love this oven-roasted chicken recipe!

Made with just a few simple and easy steps as well as just a handful of ingredients like butter and spices, we get a very flavorful bird that’s eager to grace our dinner table.

Minimal prep and maximum taste are what will have you coming back to this recipe over and over again.

Simple Whole Roasted Chicken

There’s nothing better than a simple yet comforting dish to bring to the table and that’s exactly what you get with this whole roasted chicken recipe.

This recipe is basic and easy even for those who aren’t familiar with roasting whole chickens. The results also speak for themselves.

Crispy golden skin and juicy cooked meat underneath will make this the perfect main dish to serve with your family’s favorite sides.

Ingredients you’ll need to roast a chicken:

• Butter
• Garlic cloves
• Salt
• Pepper
• Dried oregano
• Dried basil
• Whole chicken

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

How to Make Roasted Chicken Recipe

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the butter, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Set aside. I am a firm believer in keeping the seasoning simple.

Remove the bird from the package (thawed), drain the liquid, and pat the chicken dry. Be sure to remove the neck and giblets! Yes, it’s sort of gross, but no one wants to be served a chicken with parts inside. So stick your hand in the chicken and get it all out.

Loosen the skin from the chicken spread your butter mixture between the body and skin layer, and also spread it on top of the skin as well. Spread the butter over the entire chicken and also between the skin and the body. This can take a bit of effort. Work that butter in as much as you can so that all the chicken comes out tender and full of flavor.

Place the chicken in a greased roasting pan, breast side up. I use a small roasting pan with a removable rack.

Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes, this will help get that crispy skin that everyone loves.

Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue to cook for an additional 2 1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer can be inserted into the meatiest part of the chicken and register 160 degrees F. I used an 8 lb chicken. Therefore, my chicken was in the oven for close to three hours. At about the 2 1/2 hour mark start checking the chicken with a kitchen thermometer.

I have found that no liquid is needed in the bottom of my pan for basting. The butter and the steam will keep this chicken incredibly moist and flavorful. Make this roasted chicken recipe once and you will be hooked. You will want to make it all the time!

This size chicken was enough for my family of five to enjoy one night with dinner and to incorporate into another meal the next day.

Remove the chicken from the pan and place it onto a serving platter.

Cover with foil to keep warm and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving. Enjoy!

FAQs

How long is cooked chicken good for?

You can keep your cooked chicken leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 or 5 days. I recommend eating them sooner rather than later for best results or you can keep the chicken in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. This is perfect if you want to turn the leftover chicken into some shredded chicken for future meal prep dishes.

Do I have to rinse my chicken?

No, rinsing your chicken is completely optional and not everyone likes to do it so you don’t have to. I do recommend still patting the bird dry with paper towels though as this will help the seasoned butter mixture to adhere to the skin. Otherwise, the mixture wouldn’t stick to the wet chicken.

What goes well with roasted chicken?

Roasted chicken goes well with just about anything from Jamaican Jerk Roasted Cauliflower to Blueberry and Kale Quinoa Salad even my Easy Cornbread Stuffing Recipe and Easy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe would be a wonderful pairing.

Here are some more great chicken recipes to enjoy soon:

• Chicken Kiev
• Dry Rub Chicken Wings
• One Pot Chicken Parmesan Recipe
• Baked Chicken Parmesan Pasta
• Spicy Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
• Baked Chicken with Orzo

Continue to Content

Yield: 8-10

Roasted Chicken

Print

Roasted chicken is easy to make at home! With a little seasoning and some time you will have tender and juicy chicken on the family table!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 50 minutes

Total Time 3 hours

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 8 lb whole chicken

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Combine butter, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Discard neck and giblets from the chicken. Rinse and pat the chicken dry.
3. Loosen the skin from the chicken and spread butter mixture between body and skin and over top of the skin.
4. Place chicken, breast side up on a greased rack in a roasting pan.
5. Bake chicken at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
6. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to cook chicken for an additional 2 1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the chicken registers 160 degrees.
7. Remove chicken to a serving platter.
8. Cover with foil and let chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 889Total Fat 52gSaturated Fat 15gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 31gCholesterol 325mgSodium 422mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 99g

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