Dinner for the whole family is this easy whole roasted chicken. This is a tasty and adaptable chicken dish with crispy skin and juicy flesh. It’s seasoned simply with salt and pepper, and to add flavor to the pan drippings, fresh herbs and lemon slices are put around it.
We’ll utilize the drippings at the end to serve the chicken with flavor from thyme, rosemary, parsley, and lemon. Additionally, this is a great way to use up leftover herbs in the vegetable crisper so they don’t go bad.
SIMPLE ROASTED CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
- Whole Chicken: Four to five pounds of chicken should be sufficient for four to six meals.
- Extra virgin olive oil is what we have on hand, but ordinary or light tasting can work just as well.
- Salt: Kosher or sea salt (which is what we use) are coarse varieties that work best.
- Black pepper: If available, use freshly ground black pepper.
- Fresh Herbs: A simple approach to flavor the drippings is with parsley, rosemary, and thyme.
- Lemon: Adds a little more flavor while serving the same function as the herbs.
HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE ROASTED CHICKEN
- To ensure that the chicken breast does not sit too near to the top element, move the oven rack to the bottom third position.
- Turn the oven on to 425°F.
- Take the chicken out of the package and prepare it. Look inside for a baggie with the giblets inside. Take out the bag and, if wanted, keep for further use; otherwise, trash.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, making sure to dry the insides as well.
- Cut off any loose fat parts if there are any.
- Apply the olive oil all over the chicken, being sure to coat the cavity as well.
- Season the chicken on the interior as well as the outside with salt and pepper.
- Using cooking twine, tie the legs of the bird and trim off any extra.
- Stretch the wing tips out, bend them back, and tuck them under and behind the bird (this is only possible if the wing tips are still attached).
- Arrange the chicken, breast side up, in a small oven-safe dish with a rim, such as a casserole dish or roasting pan. Make sure the container you use is not too big and can hold the drips. Make sure it’s slightly bigger than the roaster. We used our reliable 11×7-inch casserole dish.
Lastly, surround the chicken with the lemon slices and herbs. Wherever you detect a gap, tuck them in. Cook it at 425°F for 15 minutes in the oven.
Close the oven door and reduce the temperature to 375°F. Cook the meat for a further 75 to 100 minutes, or until the thickest section of the dark flesh reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F on an instant read thermometer. Examine the thigh located directly between the breast and the leg.
The size of the chicken will determine how long it takes to cook. For comparison, our 4-pound chicken required 75 minutes in addition to the first 15.
Roast the chicken for a further 15 to 20 minutes, then check to see whether it’s done.
ROASTING TIME
What is the duration required to roast a whole chicken? That is dependent upon both the weight of the chicken and the oven’s temperature.
Generally speaking, allow 20 minutes for each pound of meat, plus an extra 15 minutes if roasting at 350°F or 375°F.
As an illustration, our chicken weighed around 4½ pounds, and it took just under 20 minutes to cook per pound. However, we began in an extremely hot oven and subsequently reduced the temperature.
- 15 minutes at 425°F
- 1 hour and 15 minutes at 375°F
- With a rest time of 15 minutes, the internal temperature was just over 165°F.
TRUSSING
The process of trussing involves binding the wings and drums in close proximity to the chicken’s body. It prevents the breast from drying out and the wings and legs from burning.
Does the chicken need to be trussed? I suggest, at the absolute least, that you tie the drums together to seal the hollow. Usually, I just tuck the wings beneath the bird if they still have the tip intact.
INDICATING WHETHER THE CHICKEN IS COOKED
- When the thickest area of the dark flesh of the chicken achieves an internal temperature of 165°F, it is considered completely cooked.
- Using an instant read thermometer is the most reliable method of determining if chicken is done through. Without contacting the bone, place the thermometer within the inner thigh to take the internal temperature.
- If you pierce it with a knife or fork, the fluids will come out plainly.
- When pulled on, the legs will be loose and not resist.
- There won’t be any pink or red tones in the meat; it will be entirely opaque.
RESTING AND SERVING SIMPLE ROASTED CHICKEN
Allow the chicken to rest for ten to fifteen minutes after removing it from the oven before slicing. After cooking, letting the meat rest lets the liquids redistribute.
STORING AND FREEZING
You may keep leftover chicken in the fridge for up to three days if you put it in an airtight container. The chicken can be frozen for a maximum of three months. Enclose it tightly and store it in a sealed container.
MORE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
Simple Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 – 5 pound Whole Chicken patted dry and trimmed of excess fat
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Salt we use kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3 – 4 Thyme Sprigs
- 3 – 4 Parsley Stems with leaves
- 1-2 Rosemary Sprigs
- 1 Lemon cut into thick slices
Instructions
- To ensure that the chicken does not sit too close to the top element, move the oven rack to the bottom third position.
- Set oven temperature to 425°F.
- Take the chicken out of the package and prepare it. Look inside the cavity to see whether there’s a giblet baggie within. Take out the bag and, if wanted, keep for further use; otherwise, trash.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, making sure to dry the insides as well. Cut off any loose fat parts if there are any.
- Apply the olive oil all over the chicken, being sure to coat the cavity as well.
- Season the chicken all over, including inside the cavity, with salt and pepper.
- Using cooking twine, tie the legs of the bird and trim off any extra.
- Fold the tips of the wings under the bird.
- Arrange the chicken, breast side up, in a small oven-safe dish with a rim, such as a casserole dish or roasting pan.
- Arrange the lemon slices, thyme, parsley, and rosemary around the chicken.
- In the oven put the chicken. Simmer it for fifteen minutes.
- Reduce the oven’s temperature to 375°F and continue cooking for 75 to 100 minutes, or until the thickest area of the dark meat, measured with an instant-read thermometer, reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (check the thigh directly between the leg and the breast).
- Roast the chicken for a further 15 to 20 minutes, then check to see whether it’s done.
- Allow the chicken to rest for ten to fifteen minutes after removing it from the oven before slicing.
- Serve with your preferred side dishes and the pan drippings.
Notes
- The size of the chicken will determine how long it takes to cook. For comparison, our 4-pound chicken required 75 minutes in addition to the first 15.
- To maintain a steady temperature when cooking, try not to open the oven.
Make sure the container you use is not too big and can hold the drips. Make sure it’s slightly bigger than the roaster. We used our reliable 11×7-inch casserole dish. - The size of the chicken will determine how many servings are made.