Simple Roasted Chicken
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.
Yield: 6
Materials
- 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 11x7-inch casserole dish. - The size of the chicken will determine how many servings are made.