Roast Chicken Recipe (How to Roast Chicken)

This Roast Chicken Recipe with garlic butter, fresh herbs, lemon, and tender vegetables is SO easy to make right at home! With a crispy outside and juicy, moist inside, Learn How to Roast the most flavorful Chicken perfect for all seasons and days of the week!

Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken Recipe

There is nothing bland or boring about this beautiful roast chicken. Covered in garlic, herbs, and smeared in butter, everything about this chicken screams flavor!

Easy to prepare and cook, I often make this roast chicken recipe for family and friends when simple chicken breasts won’t cut it. Cooked among a mix of my favorite vegetables – onion, potatoes, carrots, and butternut squash – the whole family loves this flavorful, delicious meal.

Oven Roasted Chicken Ingredients 

Easy to find pantry essentials are the only ingredients you’ll need to make this impressive roast chicken recipe.

• Whole chicken – I always aim to purchase a 5-pound chicken. After all, I want some meat on there, right?
• Garlic – This recipe calls for 15 cloves of garlic. Before you run away, let me explain. Only 5 of those cloves will actually be used to season the chicken. The remaining 10 cloves are smashed and cooked among the vegetables. If you don’t like all that garlic, leave it out.
• Butter + olive oil – Butter is melted and mixed with olive oil. It is them smeared over the entire surface and inside of the chicken. I know…it sounds like a lot, just remember that much of the fat will end up dripping off the chicken into the vegetables.
• Lemon – To tenderize, to add a little freshness. Lemon is always a good idea.
• Fresh herbs – If you can get your hands on fresh herbs, do it! Yes, they’ll get a little crispy as they cook, but it’s all about flavor! Delicious herbs include rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley, and basil. If you prefer to use dried herbs, substitute with 1 tablespoon of mixed Italian seasoning.
• Vegetables – You can add as many or as few vegetables as you wish. Some of the most popular will always be potatoes, carrots, and onions. I added cubes of butternut squash which were delicious. Feel free to add any relatively firm root vegetables such as beets, celery, and parsnips.

How to roast a chicken 

Roasting a whole chicken couldn’t be easier! You’ll need a large Dutch oven (at least 7.5 quarts), roasting pan, or large cast-iron skillet. If you choose to use a cast-iron skillet, please note that you will only have enough room for a couple of cups of chopped vegetables.

You will also need cooking twine and (for best results) a digital meat thermometer.

Follow these easy step-by-step instructions.

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
   • In this recipe, I like to start at a high temperature for a short amount of time (just 10 minutes) before dropping the heat down to 375 degrees F. If you prefer to cook at just one oven temperature, set your oven temperature to 375 F, and skip the high to low heat cooking method.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Bring your chicken to room temperature and remove the neck and giblets. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet lined with foil (or some other easy-to-clean workspace, since, you know, you’re going to be working with a raw chicken). Pat chicken dry with paper towels and liberally sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper.
3. Prepare garlic herb butter – Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl. Add the olive oil, juice from one lemon, 3 tablespoons fresh minced herbs, and 5 cloves of minced garlic. Mix well to combine.
   • I used a mix of fresh oregano, rosemary, thyme, and rosemary. Basil would also taste wonderful. 
4. Rub the chicken with the garlic herb butter. Pour half of the prepared garlic herb butter over the surface of the chicken. Use your hands to rub the butter and herbs over the entire surface and inside of the chicken. Set aside.
   • The garlic herb butter will naturally solidify when poured over the chicken.
5. Prepare vegetables. Chop and prepare the yellow onions, carrots, butternut squash, and potatoes. Smash the remaining (10 cloves) of garlic with a large chef’s knife. Add the onions to a large Dutch oven (at least 7.5 quarts) first, followed but the carrots, potatoes, butternut squash, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. 
   • The butternut squash was a last-minute addition but my absolute favorite. Unlike the carrots and potatoes, the butternut squash cubes turn soft and mushy from absorbing so much of the yummy pan juices from the chicken. 
6. Stuff and truss chicken. Stuff your chicken with a few carrots and the quartered lemon. Gently separate the skin from the breast meat and carefully stick the remaining butter under the skin. Tie the legs together using kitchen twine (don’t worry, looks aren’t important).
7. Transfer chicken to your Dutch oven. Transfer the seasoned chicken, breast-side-up, to the Dutch oven and place directly on top of the vegetables. Pour any remaining garlic herb butter over the vegetables and chicken.
   • Don’t worry if you can’t cover your Dutch oven with the lid. 
8. Cook. Roast uncovered for 10 minutes at 475 degrees F. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F. and continue to cook (covered) for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes (or approximately 20 minutes per pound), basting at least once or twice throughout cooking.
   • You will need to cover your chicken with foil for at least an hour or so of cooking. Knowing this, I usually keep the chicken uncovered for the first 10 minutes, cover, and them uncover again for the last 15-20 minutes of cooking. Remember that browning (not burning) is actually good.
9. Rest. Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F as read with a digital meat thermometer remove from the oven and cover with foil. Allow chicken to rest 10 minutes before carving.
10. Serve. Serve drizzled with pan juices and cooked vegetables and garnished with fresh minced parsley.

How long to roast a chicken

The general rule when roasting a whole chicken is that each pound will take approximately 20 minutes. A pretty reliable rule to follow, yes, for the most part. However, time will vary depending on oven temperature and, of course, chicken size.

How long to roast a chicken at 375 degrees F?

• 2-1/2 to 3 pounds: Roast at 375 degrees F for 1 to 1-1/4 hours.
• 3 to 3-1/2 pounds: Roast at 375 degrees F for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours.
• 3-1/2 to 4 pounds: Roast at 375 degrees F for 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hours.
• 4-1/2 to 5 pounds: Roast at 375 degrees F for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

How long to roast a chicken at 425 degrees F?

• 2-1/2 to 3 pounds: Roast at 375 degrees F for 1/2 to 3/4 hour.
• 3 to 3-1/2 pounds: Roast at 375 degrees F for 3/4 to 1 hour.
• 3-1/2 to 4 pounds: Roast at 375 degrees F for 1 to 1-1/4 hours.
• 4-1/2 to 5 pounds: Roast at 375 degrees F for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours.

Please note: the following cooking times are just approximate and the easiest way to judge if your chicken is done is by using a digital meat thermometer.

Tips on checking the internal temperature of roast chicken

Investing in a digital meat thermometer was probably the smartest decision ever. Here are a few of my top tips on getting the most out of your own digital meat thermometer and never getting stuck with dry, overcooked meat again!

• Roast chicken should be cooked to 165 F (73.9 C).
• Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Take extra care not to touch the bone or gristle as these parts of the chicken tend to get hotter, faster.
• Always check your chicken before the estimated cooking end-time. For this roast chicken recipe, I start to check the internal temperature approximately 20 minutes before I expect it to be finished.
• If you choose to stuff your roast chicken, the stuffing needs to reach at least 165 F, too. Even if the roast chicken meat registers 165 F, but the stuffing registers 155 F, proper cooking methods recommend that you continue to cook the chicken until the stuffing reads 165 F.
• Clean your digital food thermometer after each use with soapy water.

If you don’t have a digital meat thermometer?

If you find yourself without a digital meat thermometer, the easiest way to check the doneness of your chicken is by piercing the chicken thigh – do the juices run clear? If you answered yes, then your chicken is probably done. Of course, if you cut into your roast chicken and notice any uncooked sections, pop the whole thing back in the oven and give it more time.

What to serve with roast chicken

Roast chicken pairs well with just about everything! I always love to serve this oven-roasted chicken recipe with a vegetable (which, in the case here, is cooked directly with the chicken) and a starch.

• Easy Mashed Potatoes
• Baked Sweet Potato
• Buttered dinner rolls or biscuits
• One-Pot Mushroom Rice Pilaf Recipe

If you prefer to cook your vegetables separately here are a few of my favorite:

• Oven Roasted Green Beans
• Mashed Cauliflower Recipe (Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes)
• Easy 5 Ingredient Herb Roasted Butternut Squash
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Spaghetti Squash

Yep. Like I said, everything!

What to do with leftover roast chicken?

Some of you may be wondering if this chicken is still good leftover the next day? Yes. Absolutely!

In fact, the leftover roast chicken will last in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I do recommend reheating in the microwave, however, as the pan drippings will solidify due to its high fat content. Try not to microwave too long, however, as you run the risk of dry out the meat (especially true for breast meat). 

So what can you do with a leftover roast chicken? 

My favorite way to serve leftover roast chicken and vegetables is to make sandwiches. Yes, make sandwiches! Grab a fresh loaf of bread, toast a few thick slices, mash together the vegetables (and garlic…oh my, you guys, the garlic!) and spread it all over the toasted bread. Then I top each slice of bread with leftover chicken.

It’s so easy! And it feels like an entirely new meal.

Not your thing? Use leftover roast chicken in Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup or a Chinese Chicken Salad. 

But don’t toss out the carcass! I like to save up 2-3 chicken carcasses and use them to make homemade chicken stock. Simply store them in the freezer and once you’re ready to use them, add to a pot, cover with water, and simmer for 2 hours or so. Strain and season to taste.

More chicken recipes,

• Easy Chicken Stroganoff Recipe
• Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
• Easy Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
• Chicken Shish Kabob Recipe (Shish Kebabs)
• Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
• The Best Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

 If you try making this Roast Chicken Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.