The Best Easy Oven Roasted Whole Chicken with Crispy Skin
This recipe shows you how to roast a whole chicken in the oven to achieve incredibly juicy meat and perfectly golden, crispy skin. It is a simple, foolproof method perfect for your next Sunday roast chicken dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 75 min
- Total Time: 90 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 whole chicken (about 4–5 lbs)
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 lemon, halved
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the whole chicken from its packaging and remove any giblets from the cavity. Pat the entire chicken dry, inside and out, using paper towels. This step is key for crispy skin.
- In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and garlic powder to make your seasoning blend.
- Rub the olive oil all over the exterior of the whole chicken. Sprinkle the seasoning blend evenly over the entire surface of the bird, rubbing it in gently.
- Stuff the chicken cavity with the halved lemon, fresh rosemary sprigs, and smashed garlic cloves. This adds flavor from the inside out.
- Place the seasoned whole chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan or a large cast-iron skillet.
- Roast the chicken at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes to start crisping the skin.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue roasting for approximately 60 to 75 more minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the perfectly cooked whole chicken from the oven. Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. This resting period keeps the meat juicy.
- Carve and serve your flavorful whole chicken dinner immediately.
Notes
- For extra crispy skin, you can leave the seasoned chicken uncovered in the refrigerator for 4 to 12 hours before roasting.
- If you prefer a rotisserie style chicken, tie the legs together with kitchen twine before roasting.
- Use the pan drippings to make a simple gravy for your Sunday roast chicken.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 6 oz cooked meat)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 0
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 13
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 0
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 45
- Cholesterol: 150