Whether you are planning a festive celebration or a cozy family dinner, the classic roasted chicken recipe remains a timeless, satisfying choice and also a crowd pleaser. There is something magical about the aroma of chicken roasting in the oven, especially when infused with the rich flavour of thyme, parsley, rosemary and garlic butter. The beauty of roast chicken lies in its simplicity and versatility. Its a meal-in-one, that requires minimal effort, making it accessible even for novice cooks. Whole roasted chicken has a nice juicy texture and comes loaded with flavours. The combination of a perfectly season bird with golden, crispy skin and a medley of roasted vegetables is a feast for both the eyes and palate.
Why this recipe is a winner?
Simple preparation: This recipe is designed for ease. No need for complicated techniques like brining or cooking upside-down. This recipe is designed for an easy execution, making it suitable for cooks of all skill levels.
Meal-in-one perfection: The chicken is cooked alongside potatoes, carrots, peas and onions creating a complete and wholesome meal in a single pan.
Budget-Friendly: Roasted chicken is not only delicious but also an economical choice, making it ideal for feeding a crowd without breaking the bank. Plus you can use left-over chicken bones to craft homemade chicken stock for future culinary adventures.
Tips for the juiciest Roast Chicken:
Achieving the perfect roast chicken requires attention to details, especially when it comes to doneness. While visual cues like joint movement and clear juices can be indicators, using an instant-read thermometer is the most reliable method. This chicken is ready to leave the oven when the internal temperature surpasses 160°F with carryover cooking bringing it to the recommended 165°F. This ensures both food safety and juicy, flavourful result.
Ingredients for Roast Chicken:
To create a mouthwatering whole roasted chicken, you’ll need handful of key ingredients that works together to infuse flavour and ensure juicy, tender roast chicken.
Chicken: Choose a skin on whole chicken weighing between two to four pounds. Ensure you remove the giblets from the cavity before proceeding with the recipe.
Garlic: This roast whole chicken recipe calls for 5 small garlic cloves, but fell free to use more if your chicken is extra large.
Veggies: For a delightful twist, prepare a bed of vegetables. I am using homegrown organic delights such as potatoes, green peas, onions and baby carrots. These vegetables not only add depth to the flavours but also absorb the savoury roasting juices, making them the perfect accompaniment to the succulent bird. You can also add a few more root veggies to the skillet if you like. Parsnips are always great options. If you don’t have baby carrots use large chunks of regular carrots.
Herbs: Aromatic herbs are crucial and this recipe incorporates a mix of fresh parsley, dried rosemary and thyme. These herbs works harmoniously and infuse the chicken with a medley of fragrances, enhancing the overall culinary experience.
Butter: No roast chicken is complete without the richness of butter. The butter, combined with other aromatics, not only aids in browning and crisping the skin but also imparts a delicious flavour profile to the bird.
Salt & pepper: Salt plays a pivotal role in enhancing the overall taste, while black pepper adds a layer of earthy zing, elevating the roast chicken to new heights of savory perfection. Season generously with salt and pepper to promote the perfect browning of the skin and to elevate the taste.
How to roast a Whole Chicken?
Roasting a whole chicken might sound like a daunting task, but with the right steps, you can achieve a dish that is succulent, flavourful and sure to impress. Here’s a simple guide to roast a whole chicken to perfection.
Prepare the veggies: Clean and cut the potatoes, but I am keeping the baby carrots whole, while removing the ends and keeping the green tops on. Slice the onions in ring shape and slice the unpeeled garlic in half. Now add the vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan and season with salt.
Dry the chicken: Use paper towels to pat the chicken dry inside and out, removing as much moisture as possible. Drying the chicken not only ensures the seasonings to penetrate the meat but also to achieve golden and crispy skin.
Prepare the Herb-Butter: Now prepare a flavour packed rub. Create a paste by mashing parsley and garlic on a cutting board, then combine it with butter. Melt the butter mixture for a luscious texture.
Prepare the chicken:
Generously season the chicken inside and outside with salt and pepper. Now place the chicken on top of the veggies. Smear the herb-butter mixture generously all over the chicken, ensuring even coverage. Enhance the flavour by placing a bundle of parsley inside the chickens cavity. Drizzle the leftover herb-butter mixture over the veggies. Elevating the chicken prevents the underside from sitting in pan juices, ensuring more even cooking. This also infuses the pan juices with extra flavour.
Truss the chicken: For a tidy and even roast, truss the chicken. Tie the legs together with butcher’s twine and tuck the wings tightly to the sides. This step ensures a uniform cooking and prevents any parts from burning before the rest of the chicken is done.
Roast the chicken: Preheat the oven to 240°C/ 475°F. The reduce the temperature to 200°C/400°F as soon as you put the chicken in the oven. And roast the chicken for 1 hour 20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast. This cooking method ensure a crispy skin while keeping the meat juicy.
Rest: Once done remove the chicken from the oven and cover it loosely with aluminium foil. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Resting allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a moist and tender result. Avoid the cutting the chicken immediately to prevent the loss of juices, which can lead to tougher and chewier meat.
Troubleshooting:
Troubleshooting is essential in achieving the perfect roast chicken and addressing specific issues can ensure a delicious and well-cooked dish.
Dry chicken: Overcooking or roasting at too high temperature can lead to dry chicken. To remedy this, use a meat thermometer to confirm the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Avoid overcooking by monitoring the temperature regularly and ensuring your oven is set at the recommended temperature.
Undercooked chicken: Insufficient roasting time or low oven temperature may result in undercooked chicken. Always check the internal temperature, and if it’s below 165°F, continue roasting, checking at intervals until the desired temperature is reached.
Soggy skin: Excess moisture and air circulation contribute to soggy skin. Before roasting pat the chicken dry and use veggies or onions or a roasting rack to elevate it, promoting better air circulation for crispier skin.
Overly browned or Burnt skin: High oven temperature or proximity to the top heating element can cause overly browned or burnt skin. Ensure your oven is calibrated correctly, positioning the roasting pan in the middle and use foil to tent the chicken if it’s browning too quickly.
Difficulty Carving: Not allowing the chicken to rest post-roasting can make carving challenging. Let the roasted chicken rest for approximately minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a moisture chicken that is easier to carve.
How to serve Roast Chicken?
Roast Chicken is a timeless dish that offers versatility in both preparation and serving. Beyond the classic plate with vegetable sides, there are numerous creative ways to savor this delectable meal throughout the week.
Roasted or Mashed Vegetables: Elevate your roast chicken by pairing it with timeless vegetable classics. Roasted Brussels sprouts, glazed carrots and crispy roasted potatoes complement the succulence of the chicken. Alternatively, opt for creamy mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes or lighter mashed cauliflower for a well-round meal.
Chicken Salad: Transform your roast chicken into a protein-packed salad. Slice the chicken and layer it on top of a vibrant salad. This adds a refreshing touch to your meal while providing a nutritious boost.
Protein-Bowl: Create a hearty bowl by starting with a base of rice or leafy greens. Pile on your favorite veggies, diced roast chicken, pickled onions, and even a dollop of hummus for a satisfying and balanced meat.
Homemade gravy and sides: enhance the dinning experience with homemade gravy, creamy mashed potatoes and sides like roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted carrots, quinoa salad, green salad and crispy french fries.
Chicken soup: utilize the chicken to make a comforting chicken soup.
Breakfast Omelette: You can even add the chicken in your breakfast omelette by slicing the chicken.
How to Store and Reheat the Roast Chicken?
To Store: Leftover roasted chicken should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking. Store them in an airtight container for 4-5 days. When reheating, use an oven set to 160°C until warmed through.
To freeze: Carve the chicken into individual pieces and freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat the chicken before serving.
How to use the leftover Roast Chicken?
Create an epic sandwich using the leftover chicken.
Make a refreshing chicken and pasta salad.
Incorporate the chicken into breakfast omelette.
Make a wrap by using those leftover roast chicken with fresh greens and veggies.
Make a tart or quiche using the leftover chicken etc.
Ingredients:
1.8 kg whole Chicken (skin on), cleaned
2 tbsp Butter, room temperature
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium Onions, peeled and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
5 Garlic cloves (small)
2 bundle parsley
2 tsp Dried Thyme
2 tsp Dried Rosemary
12-15 pcs. Baby Carrots, cleaned
6-8 pcs. Baby Potatoes, cleaned and cubed
6-8 pcs. Green Peas, whole
1 Whole Garlic (unpeeled)
Preparation:
- Step 1: If the chicken was in the fridge, then remove it from the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
- Step 2: Preheat the oven to 240°C/ 475°F.
- Step 3: Clean and cut the potatoes, but I am keeping the baby carrots whole, while removing the ends and keeping the green tops on. Slice the onions in ring shape and slice the unpeeled garlic in half.
- Step 4: Now add the vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan and season with salt.
- Step 5: Now prepare the herb-butter. Create a paste by mashing parsley and garlic on a cutting board.
- Step 6: Then combine the minced garlic and parsley with butter and add dried thyme and rosemary to the butter. Then melt the butter mixture for a luscious texture.
- Step 7: Now Cut off the neck of the chicken and use paper towels to pat the chicken dry inside and out, removing as much moisture as possible.
- Step 8: Generously season the chicken inside and outside with salt and pepper.
- Step 9: Then place a bundle of parsley in the cavity of the chicken.
- Step 10: For a tidy and even roast, truss the chicken. Tie the legs together with butcher’s twine.
- Step 11: Now place the chicken in the roasting pan on top of the veggies. Then tuck the wings tightly to the sides. This step ensures a uniform cooking and prevents any parts from burning before the rest of the chicken is done.
- Step 12: Now smear the herb-butter mixture generously all over the chicken, ensuring even coverage. Drizzle the leftover herb-butter mixture over the veggies. Elevating the chicken prevents the underside from sitting in pan juices, ensuring more even cooking. This also infuses the pan juices with extra flavour.
- Step 13: Then reduce the temperature to 200°C/400°F as soon as you put the chicken in the oven. And roast the chicken for 1 hour 20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast.
- Step 14: Once done remove the chicken from the oven and cover it loosely with aluminium foil. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Resting allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a moist and tender result. Avoid the cutting the chicken immediately to prevent the loss of juices, which can lead to tougher and chewier meat.
- Step 15: To Carve your chicken, remove any string and take off the wings. Carefully cut down between the leg and the breast. Cut through the joint and pull the leg off. Repeat on the other side and when you get down to the fussy bits, just use your fingers to pull all the meat off.
- Step 16: Now serve the roast chicken with roasted veggies.
Pro Tips:
If using frozen chicken, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Let the chicken sit at the room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking for even cooking.
Ensure the chicken is completely dry for ultimate crispy roast chicken.
Use thick cut vegetables in the roasting pan. Whole carrots, onion rings etc., works well. Thinly sliced vegetables may cook too quickly.
Place the chicken on top of the veggies in the roasting pan. This promotes more even cooking, as the chicken bottom won’t be sitting in its own juices.
Test for doneness with a thermometer, ensuring the chicken reaches 165°F.
Allow the roast chicken to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving for optimal juiciness.
Use a roasting pan that fits the chicken’s size. Avoid using large pan, as the large surface area can lead to rapid moisture evaporation, resulting in dry vegetables and little to no drippings.
About Me
DEBJANI MONDAL
Welcome to Kitchenstagram, the home of delicious recipes, culinary inspiration and cooking adventures. I’m Debjani and I’m thrilled to be your guide through the wonderful world of food. I’m a self-taught professional baker, home chef, recipe developer, author of Kitchenstagram and an aspiring YouTuber.
My passion for food and cooking began at a very young age, when I would watch my mom and dad cook for me and my brother. My dad, in particular is a great cook whose culinary skills made a lasting impression on me. My dad would cook up a storm on special occasions by cooking variety of dishes, from delicious biriyani to samosa, fish fry, rasgullas and kachoris (sweet & spicy deep fried pastry with filling of lentils, meat or fish…>>>>>
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