The Perfect Whole Roasted Chicken

Name: The Perfect Whole Roasted Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 4.4 lb chicken (1 whole); 3.5 oz butter (melted); 4 cups water; ¼ cup lemon juice (fresh, 1 lemon); 1.5 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar); 0.4 oz ginger (grated); 0.9 oz garlic (minced 4 cloves); 1 Tbsp salt; 2 Bay leaves; 0.15 oz cinnamon stick; 2 Star anise; 0.1 oz ground cardamom powder (1/2 Tbsp); 1/2 Tbsp whole black peppercorns; 3.1 oz celery (chopped into 2-3 pieces. ); 4 oz red bell pepper (1 whole); 7 oz carrots (baby carrots or larger ones chopped into 3-4 pieces); 6.1 oz onion (peeled but whole (small onions) or halved (slightly larger onions)); 0.5 oz rosemary (fresh)

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This whole roasted chicken with vegetables is simple to prepare, comforting, and wonderfully tender and juicy in the middle with a well-seasoned, lightly crispy skin! And top tips for the best roasted chicken every single time!

Nothing says comforting family favorite quite like a perfectly whole roasted chicken with vegetables! Whether for a roast dinner, the holidays, or even to prep and use across several meals, this baked whole chicken will hit the spot. Plus, following a simple method and a few top tips, you’ll never have to worry about dry, rubbery, or tasteless chicken again!

With plenty of choice of seasonings, accompanying veggies, and serving options, once you’re comfortable with the method for this juicy roasted chicken recipe, the sky is your limit! So keep reading for my favorite whole roast chicken with vegetables and other options to fit your mood and taste buds.

This method focuses on achieving deliciously tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone flesh with lightly crispy skin. But I’ve included several tips on achieving even crispier skin without risking dry meat. Best of all, it’s cheaper to make than grocery store rotisserie chicken, adaptable, and usually contains far less sodium.

Carved oven roasted chicken on a cutting board

Once cooked, enjoy the simple whole roast chicken as part of a roast dinner, save the drippings to make brown gravy, slice or shred into soups, salads, pasta, casseroles, and more, and even freeze some for later. Did I mention that this simple roast chicken recipe is the gift that keeps on giving?!

Want to achieve similar results with super crispy skin in less time? Check out my recipe for air fryer whole chicken.

Roasted chicken ingredients

At its most basic, you can make a simple whole roasted chicken recipe with just chicken, oil or butter, and salt and pepper. However, for this version, I use:

Chicken: Use a whole, clean, skin-on chicken. Mine was 4.4lb (2kg), the perfect size for a family of 4 (or 1-2 with leftovers).

Butter: Use salted or unsalted butter for rich flavor. A neutral, high-heat oil would also work.
Water: To pour into the pan and encourage steaming for a tender, juicy roasted whole chicken. Vegetable broth or chicken broth would also work.
Seasoning: Check the recipe card below for some of my favorite whole baked chicken seasonings. For this recipe, though, I used the following:
- lemon juice
- vinegar
- minced garlic and ginger
- kosher salt
- cinnamon
- cardamom
- black peppercorns
- star anise
- bay leaves
Vegetable Stuffing: Stuffing the oven-baked whole chicken with veggies further helps to add flavor and lock in moisture. I used:
- Carrots: Mini carrots, whole, or large carrots, chopped into 2-inch pieces.
- Small onions: Peeled but whole.
- Bell pepper: Chopped into 2-inch pieces.
- Celery: Trimmed and chopped into 2-3 smaller sections.
- Fresh rosemary.

You can experiment with making this whole-baked chicken recipe with several other veggies. I.e., turnips, parsnips, potatoes, etc. Chop them down into 2-inch pieces.

How to roast a whole chicken

Learn how to cook a whole chicken in the oven in just a few simple steps.

Prepare the chicken: Bring the chicken to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before preheating the oven to 400ºF/200°C. Pat it dry with paper towels.

Then, melt the butter in a microwave-safe dish. Meanwhile, mince the garlic and ginger, and combine them with the melted butter, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt. Mix.

Next, transfer the chicken to a deep baking dish. Season the inside and out with the buttery mix – you can brush or rub it into the chicken.

Steps for preparing chicken for roasting

Then stuff the cavity (remove the giblets first, if there are any) with the combination of vegetables and rosemary, spreading any remaining veggies across the roasting pan around the chicken (breast side up).

Sprinkle the various spices (bay leaves, cardamom, peppercorns, star anise, crushed cinnamon stick) over the dish.

Finally, pour the water (or broth) into the dish. If you have any leftover butter, baste the chicken once more. Then cover the dish with foil.

How long does it take to roast a chicken? Start by roasting a whole chicken for 45 minutes. Then, remove the foil and pour out all the liquid (drippings) from the baking sheet. Optionally, add a little more butter or oil to the top of the chicken to encourage crispier skin.

These chicken drippings can be saved to make chicken gravy, au jus, or homemade chicken stock. You can also add them to soups, etc.

Removing the juices from roasted chicken

Return to the oven and cook for a further 20 minutes, uncovered, broiling the whole baked chicken for several minutes in the end for a more golden-brown crispy top.

For crispier chicken and vegetables, use a pan with a rack, so the water is underneath the chicken and vegetables rather than surrounding them.

Finally, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes, loosely covered with foil, to allow the juices to settle. Then carve and enjoy the best roasted chicken you’ve ever had.

How to carve a whole roasted chicken

Now that you’ve learned how to roast a chicken, you need to know how to carve it.

I prefer to pull the legs away first, slicing through the meat/bone (joints) to help as I pull them loose. Next, do the same with the wings.

Then, use the sharp knife to carve downwards to one side of the breastbone (just shy of the center of the chicken) and remove that to slice it into smaller pieces.

Use your fingers to remove any remaining “tricky” bits until you’ve stripped the carcass (which you can use to prepare chicken broth).

How to freeze coasted chicken

To freeze the chicken, ensure it’s sliced (or shredded), and store it in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before re-using.

How to reheat a whole roasted chicken

Remove the chicken from the fridge 20-30 minutes before reheating, so it requires less heat (thus less chance to dry out).

In the oven: Loosely wrap the chicken in foil after drizzling it with the cooking juices (or some stock/water) and bake at 350ºF/175ºC until warm. The exact cooking time will vary based on the amount you’re reheating and whether the chicken is still whole (25-30 mins) or sliced (10-20 mins).

On the stovetop: Add enough water or stock to coat the bottom of a skillet and heat over medium. Once hot, add the sliced chicken, lower the heat to low, and cook until warmed.

Alternatively, use oil to quickly sauté the chicken. This should help create a crisper chicken while the oil keeps it from overly drying out.

In the microwave: This is the riskiest, as it is easy to become rubbery/dry. Add the sliced chicken to a dish with a few spoonfuls of water/broth and a drizzle of oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and heat for 2 minutes. Then check the temperature and continue to heat in 20-second intervals, if needed, until it reaches 165ºF/74ºC.

No matter which method you use, ensure you reheat the chicken to 165ºF/74ºC. Then, allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

The best sides for roasted chicken

There are too many ways to enjoy this whole roasted chicken and vegetables to count. Here are just a few of my top recommendations.

Roast dinner: Combine the meat with:
- Creamy mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes.
- Brown gravy (with or without the pan drippings)
- Vegetable side dishes like
  - Air fryer asparagus or green beans
  - Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
  - Honey roasted carrots
  - Roasted cabbage
- Stuffing
Grains: rice, quinoa, couscous, freekeh, barley, pilaf, etc.

How to use leftover cooked chicken?

After taking your fill of the freshly roasted whole chicken, there’s still plenty of life left in this meat.

From the fridge

Pasta salads – like Caprese pasta salad.
Summer rice paper rolls.
Sandwiches – like a simple chicken mayo sandwich or a grilled cheese.
Chicken salad or add to green salads (like a Caesar salad).
Buddha bowls, grain bowls, or burrito bowls.
Wraps – like a chicken Caesar wrap or use this tortilla hack.

Added to a hot dish

Soup – like this chicken rice soup,
Casseroles or stews,
Tacos or burritos,
Warm pasta – like chili noodles, garlic lemon pasta, etc.
To top baked potatoes and sweet potatoes.
In stuffed vegetables.

Leftover chicken skin can become rubbery, so feel free to discard it!

FAQs

Do I need to wash the raw chicken?

I urge you not to, as it’s easy to splash your kitchen with harmful bacteria, and any germs will cook off during the roasting period.

How do I know roast chicken is perfectly cooked?

Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken (the inner thigh by the breast, avoiding bone). To be safely cooked, the chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165ºF/74ºC. To avoid dry chicken, I recommend ensuring it reaches 160ºF/71ºC and allowing the residual heat to cook it the rest of the way while it rests.
Without a thermometer, pierce the meat in the thickest part of the bird and ensure the meat juices run clear (no blood or color).

Should I cook the whole chicken covered or uncovered?

I have found that the best results use a combination of the two. Covering the meat at the beginning will help lock in the juices while it cooks. Then, remove the foil and allow the skin to crisp up and brown without risking dry chicken.

How can I get crispy chicken skin?

Covering the chicken with foil will never get the crispest results possible. However, removing the foil part-way and broiling at the end can help. You can also press some butter mixture beneath the skin before roasting.
Alternatively, remove the skin after baking the chicken and shallow-fry it in oil until crispy.

More simple chicken recipes

If you try this simple recipe for whole roasted chicken and vegetables, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!