Oven Roasted Whole Chicken

A whole roasted chicken on a white platter, garnished with fresh herbs.

This simple, flavorful recipe for Oven Roasted Whole Chicken is sure to become a family favorite! Features tender, juicy meat and crispy skin.

Course Dinner, Main Course, Main Dishes

Cuisine American, British, Canadian, UK

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 25

Servings servings

Calories 243

Author Dorothy Bigelow

Ingredients

1 3-5 lb whole chicken giblets removed (about 1.3-2.3 kg)
1 medium onion peeled and halved
2 tablespoons avocado oil olive oil, or melted butter
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Optional: Allow your chicken to rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes after removing it from the refrigerator. This will reduce steam in the oven and result in crispier skin.
Preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC) and line a 9X13” (23x33 cm) baking dish or roasting pan with parchment paper (optional).
Place the whole chicken, breast side up, on the roasting pan. Remove the giblets and pat the skin dry with paper towels.
Stuff the cavity with the onion halves (optional: add a few garlic cloves and a cut lemon for extra flavor) and set aside.
Add the avocado oil (olive oil, or melted butter) to a small bowl, along with the salt, smoked paprika, onion powder, thyme, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir to form a paste.
Brush the seasoned oil on every exposed surface of the chicken using a pastry brush.
Roast in the oven for 70-90 minutes, or until all of the pieces register a minimum internal temperature of at least 165ºF (74ºC). Baste 1-2 times during the roasting time if possible. For crispy skin, avoid basting during the last 20 minutes of roasting.
Remove from the oven and transfer the chicken to a serving platter.
Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
If desired, retain the juices for using to make homemade gravy (*see notes).

Notes

Note: You may find the skin a little salty depending on your preferences. The recipe was developed to mimic a rotisserie-style chicken. If you like less, reduce the salt by ½ teaspoon. If desired, you can reduce the pepper too (or use white pepper).

Cover the breast meat: If you find that your chicken breasts are at temperature before other parts, try covering them with aluminum foil. This prevents them from drying out as the rest of the chicken cooks.

*Gravy: 2 chickens produce about ¾ - 1 cup of drippings which is enough to
make a small amount of gravy. If making just 1 chicken, you can supplement with enough chicken broth (homemade or store-bought) to bring it up to 1 cup of broth/juice. Note that fat should be removed from the juices first. This can be done by transferring them to a measuring cup and spooning off the top layer after 5-10 minutes.

Make a roux over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of flour.
Add the juices a little at a time, and stir to combine.
I like to add a little water to thin the gravy to my liking and to dilute the flavor, since the chicken seasoning blend is strong and bit salty.

Storage: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Bone broth: If desired, you can use the bones to make bone broth. Add the remaining carcass to an Instant Pot, along with a stalk of celery, a carrot, an onion, peppercorns, salt, and enough water to cover. Cook on manual high pressure for 2 hours, then release the pressure. Strain off the vegetables and bones and reserve the broth.

Nutrition