This easy Roast Chicken recipe is seasoned one of three ways, leaving you with oven roasted chicken that is tender, juicy, and so flavorful. It pairs with just about any side dish and a perfect dinner anytime!
You know those whole roasted chickens you see at the market, always set out at lunch and dinner time? Surely you’ve bought one (or many!) over the years. So good. Well, if you’ve wondered how difficult is to make one at home, I’m here to tell you it’s not. In fact, you won’t believe how incredibly easy it is to make a roast chicken.
Roast Chicken
Achieve perfectly tender and juicy roast chicken with very little time, only a handful of ingredients, and no fancy equipment.
This roast chicken recipe paired with your favorite side dish, like roasted vegetables, grains, or a salad, makes an easy and complete meal for the entire family.
How to Roast a Chicken
There’s something about a whole roasted chicken that is more satisfying than just an oven roasted chicken breast. It just feels like a good old fashioned Sunday supper when you serve it! There are only a few super simple steps to making one.
- Clean and dry – remove any giblets from inside the chicken cavity. Rinse the chicken inside and out and remove any pinfeathers that might still be hanging on. Then dry the skin with some paper towels.
- Season – rub the chicken all over with butter and seasonings of your choice (recommendations below.)
- Tie the legs together – tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings underneath.
- Roast – place the chicken, breast side up, on a rack set over a shallow roasting pan. Then roast, uncovered, in a preheated oven.
How Long to Roast a Whole Chicken
Depending on the size of your bird and oven, it will take between 50-90 minutes for a whole chicken to cook through. For this recipe, we’re using a fryer chicken which is 3 1/2 pounds, and is usually done cooking around 55 minutes. Chicken is done when the juices run clear and an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached. To be safe, use an Instant Read Thermometer.
When it’s finished roasting, remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This helps lock in those juices!
Roast Chicken Temperature – you can roast a chicken at different temperatures (which will effect the amount of time you roast it for.) For this recipe, we’re roasting a 3 1/2 pound fryer chicken at 425 degrees F.
Recipe Variations
Once you know how to roast a whole chicken, the world is your oyster when it comes to flavoring it! Season the entire outside and add a little salt, half a lemon, and some fresh herbs inside the cavity, making sure not to crowd it or it won’t cook properly. (Scroll below for the detailed printable recipe, if you prefer.)
These seasoning blends are enough to coat a 3 1/2 pound fryer chicken.
Simple Seasoning
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Italian Seasoning Blend
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon each black pepper, smoked paprika, dried thyme, onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Ranch Seasoning Blend
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon Ranch seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
How to Store Leftover Oven Roasted Chicken
Remove all the meat from the bones and allow to cool completely.
How long is roasted chicken good for? Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Can you freeze roast chicken? Yes, it can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Thaw and reheat: thaw in the fridge overnight, then simply reheat in the microwave, adding a bit of seasoning or just a drizzle of chicken broth to give it some life again.
What to Serve with Roast Chicken
Chicken is so versatile and pairs with just about anything. Here are some of my favorite side dishes to go with this recipe:
What to Do with Leftover Roast Chicken
There are so many leftover roast chicken recipes! Simply shred or chop it and put some to great use in these dishes:
Watch it Being Made
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Easy Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pound whole fryer chicken
- 1-2 small lemon slices
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon Ranch seasoning powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Set a rack inside a roasting pan and coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- Remove giblets from inside of the chicken's cavity. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Thoroughly dry the chicken with paper towels.
- Place the lemon slices, thyme, and a dash of coarse salt and pepper inside the chicken cavity.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the seasonings, lemon juice, and Worcestershire.
- Rub the chicken all over with the butter and seasoning mixture.
- Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings underneath.
- Place chicken, breast side up, on the rack in the pan; transfer to the oven.
- Roast, uncovered, until an instant thermometer registers 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding the bone), about 55 minutes.
- Slice the legs, wings, and breasts and serve with your favorite sides.
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I Loved this recipe so much!!!