Best 8 Simple Whole Roasted Chicken Recipes

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Cooking a simple whole roasted chicken is a culinary skill that every home cook should master. This versatile dish can be enjoyed for a variety of occasions, from casual family dinners to special holiday gatherings. Not only is it delicious and satisfying, but it's also a budget-friendly meal that can feed many people. With the right recipe, you can create a perfectly cooked chicken that is crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. In this article, we'll provide you with a comprehensive guide to help you find the best recipe for your roasted chicken, taking into consideration factors such as cooking time, ingredients, and desired flavors. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a beginner in the kitchen, we'll help you discover the perfect recipe to create a simple, delicious, and memorable whole roasted chicken.

Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!

EASY ROASTED CHICKEN



Easy Roasted Chicken image

Use this recipe to prep enough chicken to use it in wraps and salads all week; you can even cook two at once. To make Asian-Style Chicken Wraps, leave the chicken whole; if a recipe calls for shredded chicken, shred before storing.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Chicken

Time 1h

Number Of Ingredients 3

1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Tie chicken legs together with kitchen twine (tuck wings under chicken, if desired, for a neater presentation). Place chicken on a rack set in a roasting pan (or on a rimmed baking sheet).
  • Rub chicken all over with butter; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in the thickest part of a thigh (avoiding bone), 45 to 50 minutes. Serve, or let cool before refrigerating, up to 3 days, covered.

MOIST ROASTED WHOLE CHICKEN



Moist Roasted Whole Chicken image

I found a version of this recipe online somewhere and used it to take a roasted chicken to church for a special sampling of foods you can get from ordering foods from Angel Food Ministries. (http://www.angelfoodministries.com/) Everyone raved about it and since I am going to roast one for home today I decided to add the recipe here too. This is a well seasoned bird which is cooked with high heat for the first 20 minutes then cooked the remaining 40-50 minutes at a lower temperature. This makes the chicken nice and moist and very flavorful. It's easy and quick to prepare as well.

Provided by CarrolJ

Categories     Chicken

Time 1h15m

Yield 1 whole chicken, 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 -3 lb roasting chicken
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon paprika

Steps:

  • Preheat your oven to 450 degrees before starting to prepare the chicken.
  • Place the whole chicken into a medium sized baking pan.
  • Rub the entire bird with the olive oil.
  • In a small bowl combine the salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and paprika, then sprinkle evenly over chicken.
  • In the preheated oven bake the chicken for 20 minutes.
  • Lower the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Continue baking for 40-50 minutes, or until golden brown and juices run clear.
  • If your chicken looks like it is browning too quickly, Lay a sheet of tin foil over the top loosely and it will slow down the browning for you.
  • Let the chicken rest in it's juices for at least 10 minutes before carving and serving. (This let's the bird reabsorb some of the juices and helps to make it even more moist.).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 206.8, Fat 16.8, SaturatedFat 4, Cholesterol 53.5, Sodium 632, Carbohydrate 0.8, Fiber 0.5, Sugar 0.1, Protein 12.8

SIMPLE WHOLE ROASTED CHICKEN



Simple Whole Roasted Chicken image

The combination of unique ingredients make this chicken dish delicious. It roasts beautifully and is surprisingly fast once it's in the oven. I serve this with the Chimichurri Sauce I found on Allrecipes, and I can't get enough! Plus the leftovers are fantastic for sandwiches, salads, and Mexican dishes.

Provided by INDRIANI

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Chicken     Whole Chicken Recipes

Time P1DT1h35m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (4 pound) whole chicken
5 cloves garlic, crushed

Steps:

  • In a bowl, mix the salt, sugar, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Rub the chicken with the mixture. Cover chicken, and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
  • Stuff the chicken cavity with the garlic. Place the chicken, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan.
  • Roast 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), and continue roasting 15 minutes. Baste chicken with pan drippings, reduce heat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C), and continue roasting 30 minutes, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 386.6 calories, Carbohydrate 1.6 g, Cholesterol 129.3 mg, Fat 22.8 g, Fiber 0.1 g, Protein 41 g, SaturatedFat 6.4 g, Sodium 900 mg, Sugar 0.7 g

PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN



Perfect Roast Chicken image

For the perfect roast chicken dinner every time, try this popular recipe from Ina Garten, Food Network's Barefoot Contessa.

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories     main-dish

Time 2h10m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
Olive oil

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
  • Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

JUICY ROASTED CHICKEN



Juicy Roasted Chicken image

My grandmother's recipe for roasted chicken. We are German and she used to do it this way all the time. I never have had a chicken this juicy before; this little trick works and makes the people eating it go silent. It's funny. We nibble on the celery after.

Provided by ROBINROCKINGBIRD

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     German

Time 1h40m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 (3 pound) whole chicken, giblets removed
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon onion powder, or to taste
½ cup margarine, divided
1 stalk celery, leaves removed

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Place chicken in a roasting pan, and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Sprinkle inside and out with onion powder. Place 3 tablespoons margarine in the chicken cavity. Arrange dollops of the remaining margarine around the chicken's exterior. Cut the celery into 3 or 4 pieces, and place in the chicken cavity.
  • Bake uncovered 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove from heat, and baste with melted margarine and drippings. Cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest about 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 423.1 calories, Carbohydrate 1.2 g, Cholesterol 97 mg, Fat 32.1 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 30.9 g, SaturatedFat 7.4 g, Sodium 661.9 mg, Sugar 0.7 g

THE BEST ROASTED CHICKEN



The Best Roasted Chicken image

This is the best chicken I have ever made. My husband liked this so much that, because I had leftover potatoes, gravy, and cornbread stuffing, I had to make another chicken.

Provided by Patricia Feeney Monson

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Chicken     Whole Chicken Recipes

Time 1h35m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 9

¼ cup butter, softened
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 lemon, zested and halved
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
1 whole chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  • Mix butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a bowl.
  • Loosen skin on chicken breast; rub butter mixture between skin and breast meat. Press on the skin to distribute evenly. Rub oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper all over; place lemon halves inside cavity. Set in a baking pan.
  • Roast in the preheated oven, basting after 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Let rest before carving, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 380.8 calories, Carbohydrate 3 g, Cholesterol 117.4 mg, Fat 27.1 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 31.1 g, SaturatedFat 10 g, Sodium 536.5 mg

STUPID SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN



Stupid Simple Roast Chicken image

This is so easy it's stupid.

Provided by Elliott

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Chicken     Whole Chicken Recipes

Time 1h25m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 3

1 (4 pound) whole chicken, rinsed
1 lemon, halved
kosher salt

Steps:

  • Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
  • Place chicken into a roasting pan and insert lemon halves into the cavity; spread kosher salt over outside of chicken.
  • Roast in the preheated oven until skin is browned and crisp, the juices run clear, and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, not touching bone, reads 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), about 1 hour. Let chicken rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 383.2 calories, Carbohydrate 2 g, Cholesterol 129.3 mg, Fat 22.8 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 41 g, SaturatedFat 6.4 g, Sodium 1084.8 mg

MY FAVORITE SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN



My Favorite Simple Roast Chicken image

Editors' Note: We love Thomas Keller's roast chicken recipe so much that we asked him to share his favorite roast turkey recipe as well. Check out My Favorite Roast Turkey.

Provided by Thomas Keller

Categories     Dinner     Chicken     Poultry     Roast     Quick & Easy     Sugar Conscious     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     No Sugar Added

Yield 2-4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 5

One 2- to 3-pound farm-raised chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional)
Unsalted butter
Dijon mustard

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.
  • Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it's a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.
  • Now, salt the chicken-I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it's cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper.
  • Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone-I don't baste it, I don't add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don't want. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.
  • Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I'm cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip-until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook's rewards. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be superelegant. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You'll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it's so good.

Tips:

  • Choose the right chicken: Opt for a whole chicken that is between 3 and 4 pounds, as it will cook more evenly and have a better flavor-to-meat ratio.
  • Prep the chicken: Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat it dry with paper towels. Remove any excess fat or giblets.
  • Season the chicken: Generously season the chicken inside and out with salt, pepper, and any other desired seasonings. You can also add a compound butter or herb paste under the skin for extra flavor.
  • Roast the chicken: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and place the chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F (175°C) and continue roasting for another 45-60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
  • Let the chicken rest: Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful chicken.

Conclusion:

Roasting a whole chicken is a simple yet impressive dish that can be enjoyed for dinner or lunch. By following these tips, you can ensure that your roasted chicken turns out perfectly cooked, juicy, and flavorful every time. Whether you prefer a classic roasted chicken with simple seasonings or a more flavorful variation with herbs, butter, or vegetables, there is a recipe out there to suit your taste. So next time you're looking for an easy and delicious meal, give roasted chicken a try.

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