Discover the joy of roasting a whole chicken to perfection with this easy 5-step recipe! You’ll love the crispy skin, tender meat, and the satisfaction of a delightful homemade meal.
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Roasted whole chickens have long been one of my favorite comfort foods. When I’m looking for a minimal-effort meal but want something homey and delicious, I turn to this roasted whole chicken in 5 easy steps recipe. It always comes out with crispy, perfectly seasoned skin and tender and juicy meat, and it never fails to be a meal that others also look forward to. I like to pair this recipe with sauteed green beans, pan gravy that I will walk you through how to make, and creamy mashed potatoes. Sometimes, I even roast up 2 whole chickens so I can have leftover shredded chicken for another meal or two later in the week.
Another great thing about this recipe is that I use every part of the chicken. By this, I mean I ALWAYS save the chicken carcass. Making chicken broth is one of the easiest things to do in the kitchen. I will post a blog post on how to do this soon, so stay tuned!
Now that my mouth is watering, what do you say? Let’s learn how to make my roasted whole chicken in five easy steps!
What You Will Need
A Dutch oven: I like to cook my chicken in my Dutch oven because it has a lid and is oven-safe. I find it easier than covering the chicken in foil on a roasting pan, but you can absolutely do it that way.
A saute pan(if you want to use the drippings for gravy): is an optional but highly recommended step! One thing I can never waste when roasting a chicken is the pan drippings. They make the most incredible gravy. Even if you don’t have time to make gravy, you can still use the drippings by spooning them over the sliced chicken when serving.
A thermometer: To ensure your chicken is fully cooked, its internal temperature should be 165 degrees.
Roasted Whole Chicken Ingredients:
Step-by-step instructions will be listed below!
Whole chicken: The main star of this recipe!
Seasoning mix: My favorite seasoning blend for my roasted whole chicken is a blend of paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Water: I use 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of the pan to create some steam while roasting to ensure the chicken stays nice and juicy.
Whole Roasted Chicken in 5 Easy Steps
Prepare your whole chicken: The first step in preparing your chicken is to pat it dry with paper towels. Once dry, liberally season the chicken all over with the spice mixture. Place the chicken in the Dutch oven with 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of the pan.
Roast: Cover the Dutch oven, place in the 425-degree oven, and roast for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350.
Baste: Baste the chicken with the liquid in the pot every 25 minutes. You will do this twice.
Uncover: After 50 minutes, uncover the Dutch oven for the last 25 minutes of baking. When the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165, remove it from the oven.
Serve: Slice the chicken and serve warm!
Bonus: How to make gravy using the liquid from the Dutch oven
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saute pan. Once melted, whisk in 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the liquid from the Dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Roasted Whole Chicken – Optional Variations & Ways To Use
Use any seasoning you like: If you don’t have one of the seasonings or don’t like one, you can easily use any blend you like. Some options include oregano, thyme, Italian seasonings, smoked paprika, and parsley.
Shred the chicken for other meals: You can shred the chicken and use it for chicken tacos, chicken tortilla soup, salads, wraps, pasta, or even quick quesadillas.
Saving the bones for chicken broth: This is one of my favorite things to do. Take the bones from my roasted whole chicken and turn them into chicken broth. Stay tuned for a post on how to do this soon!
Roasted Whole Chicken in 5 Easy Steps
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 Whole chicken
- 1 Tbsp Paprika
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp Poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 cup Water
Gravy Ingredients(optional):
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 2 Tbsp All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Liquid from the Dutch oven
Instructions
Instructions for Roasted Whole Chicken:
- Prepare your whole chicken: The first step is to pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Once dry, liberally season it with the spice mixture. Place the chicken in the Dutch oven with 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of the pan.
- Roast: Cover the Dutch oven, place in the 425-degree oven, and roast for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350.
- Baste: Baste the chicken with the liquid in the pot every 25 minutes. You will do this twice.
- Uncover: After 50 minutes, uncover the Dutch oven for the last 25 minutes of baking. When the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165, remove it from the oven.
- Serve: Slice the chicken and serve warm!
Instructions for optional gravy:
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saute pan. Once melted, whisk in 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the liquid from the Dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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My favorite Dutch oven! This is an investment piece, but it will last you a lifetime and is worth the price, IMO!
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This was definitely good. The sauce was simple but totally made the dish.
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the dish!
This recipe looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it.