Whole Roast Chicken flavored with garlic, butter, and herbs, then oven roasted to a golden, crispy, and juicy perfection! EASY, simple to make, and flavorful, this is the BEST roast chicken, and it’s perfect for weekend or weeknight dinners.
Whole Roast Chicken
A succulent roast chicken recipe smothered with butter, garlic, and herbs is for anyone who wants to know how to roast a whole chicken with just a handful of ingredients. Roast Chicken is a complete meal that requires minimal prep work with fantastic textures and flavors.
Prepare your side dish of choice, and you get yourself a complete DINNER. You can also shred the chicken and use it throughout the week for salads, soups, and sandwiches.
How To Cook a Whole Chicken
Oven Baked Chicken Breasts are great for an everyday meal, but a whole baked chicken is a nourishing and comfort-food classic that you just can’t ignore. 😍
- First, grab a 3 to 4 pound bird and remove the giblets inside the chicken’s cavity. Then, get some paper towels and dry off the skin. Dry skin results in crispier baked skin.
- Next, place chicken, breast side UP, on a rack set over a shallow roasting pan or jelly roll pan. Most of the time, I use this jelly roll pan and rack.
- Brush the chicken with melted butter and rub garlic all over the chicken.
- In a small bowl mix together salt, lemon pepper, dried basil, and dried thyme. Take this seasoning mix and rub it onto the chicken.
- Add salt inside the cavity, too, and put some garlic cloves in there, as well as half of a lemon and fresh rosemary sprigs, or any other fresh herbs that you have on hand. Don’t crowd the cavity with too many things because that can result in uneven cooking.
- Tie the legs together with kitchen twine, and tuck the wings under the body of the chicken. Then, roast, uncovered.
How Long To Roast a Chicken
- It will take anywhere from one hour to one hour-and-a-half for the chicken to cook. Chicken is done when its skin is golden, juices run clear, and when internal temperature reaches 165˚F. To check for doneness, use an Instant Read Thermometer.
- When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven, baste the chicken with the juices, and let rest for about 15 to 20 minutes before cutting.
Side Dishes to Serve with Chicken
- Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
- Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Lemon Butter Green Beans
- Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice
How To Store Leftovers
- Carve out all the meat and let completely cool.
- Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 4 days.
More Roasted Chicken Recipes
ENJOY!
Roast Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pound whole broiler-fryer chicken
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning, or you can also use fresh ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450˚F.
- Remove giblets from inside of the chicken’s cavity.
- Thoroughly dry the chicken with paper towels.
- Place chicken, breast side UP, on a rack set over a shallow roasting pan or jelly roll pan.
- Brush the chicken with the melted butter.
- Sprinkle or rub minced garlic all over the chicken.
- In a small bowl, combine salt, basil, thyme, and lemon pepper; rub onto the chicken.
- Add some salt to the inside of the cavity and fill the cavity with lemon slices, rosemary, and garlic cloves.
- Tie the legs together with kitchen twine, and tuck the wings under the body of the chicken.
- Roast, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350˚F and continue to cook until done, about 1 more hour and 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165˚F.
- Remove from oven and baste the chicken with the juices.
- Let rest for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Cooking Temperature: You can roast a chicken at any temperature; however, in my opinion, it’s best to preheat the oven to 450˚F, roast the chicken for ten minutes at that temperature, and then reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F. In all my testing, I found this was the best method for crispy skin but tender and juicy meat.
- Instant Read Meat Thermometer: To avoid dry chicken, use this critical tool. Chicken is done cooking when the internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Amazing flavour! Will make again!
Thank YOU! I am very happy you loved it! 🙂
I have an 8.3 pound chicken. How much more time would I need to allow for full cooking? Thank you!!
10/10 recommend! Wow! Flavor bomb. Put it over a deeper roasting pan and added parsnips, carrots and sliced onions on the bottom so they soaked up all the juices. Winner winner chicken dinner!!
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Delicious…so moist and flavourful! I will definitely serve this again.
Delicious recipe love it
Thank you so much! 🙂
Just made for Easter dinner. It was absolutely delicious! My family loved it! Thanks so much for the excellent recipe.
That’s great to hear! I’m very happy everyone loved it! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
Perfect roasted chicken enjoyed thanks learn and so easy thanks a lot
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Me and my wife will have a dinner date tomorrow and this one will be an addition to our table. Thank you so much for sharing.
That’s great! I hope you both enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Very good, thank you so much!
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Made a chicken roast for the first time ever and decided to use this recipe.. did not disappoint at all!😍 this is by far the best roast chicken I’ve ever had. So tender and juicy and full of flavour. Amazing
That’s wonderful! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Super yummy and juicy, I made this after I got over a nasty bout of a stomach bug, we didn’t even have any for left overs, which was such a same I was hoping to eat some for breakfast.
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
The best ever!!! Cleaned the pan with bread and are that too😋 this is a keeper, thanks 😊
That’s wonderful to hear! I’m very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Was looking gor a new recipe for baking a whole chicken and came across this five-star recipe. Am so glad I did as this was absolutely mouthwateringly delicious! This recipe deserves 10 stars. I had leftover herbs from a Rachel Ray recipe and I’m like this recipe is as good as her recipe. Move over Rachel!! Katerina is intown!
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
This is by far my favourite roast chicken recipe. Super easy and incredibly delicious!
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
What other pan can you use if you don’t have a wire rack.
Hi!
There’s a couple things you can do to make a makeshift wire rack. One, roll up several pieces of foil into a ball and put them on the bottom of your pan, then set the chicken on top. You can also use a spare baking rack, or cooling rack, if you have one available. But, a rimmed sheet pan or a cast iron skillet will also work.
I cut up some carrots and celery into large chunks, and placed the whole chicken on top.
One word: Yum❗️
Thank you for this recipe & stay safe!
Thank YOU! I am very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
This was amazing. Thank you so much for the recipe. No need to wait for room temp butter was my favorite part, everything was easy, and the chicken was a hit!!!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Am a woman of few words and this chicken was and is out of this world😍😘😍😘the crowd went wild.thank you
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂 🙂
I look forward to making this chicken tomorrow night for dinner. My chicken is a big guy weighing in at 6 lbs. Would you happen to know how long it would take to cook or get to that internal temp of 165?
Hi!
Rule of thumb, per say, suggests that it takes chicken about 20 to 30 minutes per pound to cook. So, possibly 2 hours, but please use an Instant Read Thermometer to check for doneness. When temperature at the thigh registers at 165˚F, chicken is done.
thank you so much for adding the WW points at the bottom! i was so happy to see them there. can’t wait to have this for dinner tonight!
You are welcome! 😊 If you look on the sidebar of my site, right under “Recipe Key”, you will see the color-coded WW points – Blue, Green, Purple, and Freestyle; click on the one that you follow and it will give you a list of recipes with those points.
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Wow. My truck driver husband is a hungry bear when he comes off the road. I made this chicken, put some cilantro and lemon with potatoes and carrots inside and in the pot, and he loves it. It’s one of his favorite meals now. He’s a picky eater. Thank you so much!!
Happy to hear that!! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I made this for our dinner yesterday and my husband said and I quote “I think this is the best roast chicken you have ever made yet”
I like to experiment on different recipes that’s why he said that.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. ❤ I don’t have fresh lemon and fresh rosemary so I used onions and minced garlic to stuffed it and and I seasoned the insides with the same seasoning that I used to rub the chicken with.
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Wow!!! I made this last night for dinner using a 3.5 lb. organic chicken, it came out so moist, juicy & tasty! I was a little pressed for time so I condensed a few steps by combing the melted butter, garlic and herbs before rubbing it all on. I rubbed some under the skin and tucked a few lemon slices under there too. My oven did the job in 65 minutes total, came out perfect and the family loved it- thanks so much for sharing such a great & easy recipe 🙂
That’s so great to hear! I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank you so much! 🙂
This recipe is really good. I added 1/2 onion inside and Carrots and celery. It was really nice flavor and so juicy and tender.
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Hello! This is going to prob sound like a weird question but if I roast some sweet potatoes in the oven (in a different pan) while making this chicken will it change anything ? Will I need to keep the chicken in longer 😬
Hi!
You can put the potatoes in the same pan with the chicken, if you like, and if you have enough room. But, no, you won’t have to cook the chicken longer than suggested in the recipe.
Great flavor throughout the meat. One little tweek I put lemon and lime inside. Very moist!
Thank you, Greg! I am very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
So you roast it at 450° for 10 mins then reduce heat to 350° and cook for another hour and ten to fifteen mins
Yes. That initial high heat will help to brown the chicken on the outside.
All I can say is DELICIOUS!!!
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Hi making this delicious recipe it says in the recipe cook uncovered for first 10 minutes does this mean cover till cooked or leave uncovered for remaining time pls thanks j
Hi!
Yeah, don’t cover it at all. 😊
I have never commented on a food blog but this is delicious. Whole family loves and easy to prepare.
Thank you SO much, Amanda!! I am very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Yummy !!! Thank you for the recipe !!
Thank YOU! I am very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Can’t wait to use this recipe. Don’t forget to keep the bones and extra to use to make for your own homemade chicken broth for other future meals too! That way you are using up the entire chicken, bones and all 🙂
I rarely comment on food blogs, but this recipe has been my go to fave for my chicken for the last 3 times. My husband offered to make the chicken this last time and I told him don’t touch it, my recipe is better than his!!!
I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Yum yum yum! Super quick to prepare for a week night! It’s in the oven and my whole house smells delicious! Thanks for sharing!!
Delicious looking roast chicken and so juicy too.
I’ve never made a whole chicken before so I was nervous. This was so delicious! The kids have already asked me to make it again. Bonus: whole house smells great while it’s cooking!
I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Perfect recipe.. I have a great herb garden , so I love recipes calling for rosemary, parsley, thyme etc.. I also added a bunch sprig of oregano inside the chicken. My 5 year old asked for seconds. Yay..
That’s wonderful! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Such a fabulous weeknight dinner! Definitely making this, so tasty and flavorful!
I love how much flavor is packed into this roasted chicken! It’s also so easy that this would work any night of the week.
I am drooling over this roasted chicken. It looks amazingly delicious! Yummy!
Looks like a perfect weeknight dinner! Yum!
Love how easy this was to make and it lasted a few days too! Great recipe for busy weeknights and delicious too!
Is there anything better than a roasted chicken? So good! This is going on the menu this week.
What a jaw dropping recipe! Served this for dinner and it has instantly become a family favorite recipe in our home! Delicious!
Classic and delicious flavors! The whole family loved it.
This chicken came out so juicy and delicious! Thank you for a great recipe!
The most flavorful chicken I’ve ever made! So juicy too!! Thanks for sharing
I know what I will be having for dinner tonight! A restaurant worthy recipe, indeed!
Wow amazing recipe! We love it! Thanks for sharing!
Thank YOU! I am very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Great recipe – very flavorful!