Looking for a surefire way to impress your friends and family at dinner time? Look no further than this Best Ever Juicy & Flavorful Roasted Chicken recipe. This mouth-watering dish is sure to have everyone begging for seconds, and who knows, maybe even thirds!
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First Things First
To get started, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. If your oven has a roasting setting, use that setting. If it does not have a roasting setting, don’t worry! I will tell you what to do when it is time.
While the oven is heating up, take your whole chicken and remove the innards. Rinse the chicken well under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.
Prepare Your Chicken for Roasting
To prep your bird, give it a nice little massage with some olive oil or melted butter. We want to make sure this bird feels loved and appreciated before it goes into the oven.
Using your hands, separate (but do not remove) the skin from the meat. Be sure to massage your oil/butter under the skin, on the meat, and outside of the skin.
Next, generously sprinkle some salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder all over your chicken- don’t forget to season under the skin! This will help bring out all those delicious flavors we’re looking for.
Now, this is where things get really exciting. Take a lemon and give it a good squeeze all over the chicken. This will not only add some zest to the dish, but it will also make your chicken look like it’s posing for a fancy food magazine.
Oven Roasting Your Chicken
Place your chicken in a roasting pan atop a bed of chopped onions and tent with foil. Pop it in the oven for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, removing every 30 minutes to baste with the pan juices.
If your oven has a roasting setting, simply return your bird for 30 more minutes, uncovered. You’ll know it’s done when the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
If your oven does not have a roasting setting, have no fear! Just turn your oven’s temperature up to 400 degrees and allow the chicken to roast uncovered for 30 more minutes or until the juices run clear and the internal temp has reached 165 degrees.
Pro-tip: If you’re feeling sad that your oven doesn’t have a roasting setting, you can elevate your mood by playing the classic throwback “Hot in Here” by Nelly and dancing around your kitchen.
I can say from experience that it does in fact make your chicken taste even better.
Helpful Gadgets & Tools:
When roasting anything, I have a few kitchen “must haves”:
- A roasting pan, like this roasting pan here.
- These long handle wooden measuring spoons
- This digital meat thermometer that has a lifetime warranty
- This 10-in-1, 8 blade vegetable chopper
- These non slip, silicone, high heat resistant oven mits
Now, sit back, relax, and let the compliments roll in. Trust me, with this Best Ever Juicy & Flavorful Roasted Whole Chicken recipe, you’ll be the talk of the town.
Juicy & Flavorful Oven Roasted Whole Chicken
This Juicy & Flavorful Roasted Whole Chicken recipe is the perfect dish for any occasion. With a crispy golden skin and tender, succulent meat, this chicken is sure to impress your guests. The secret to its delicious flavor lies in the aromatic blend of herbs and spices used to season the chicken, which infuses the meat with a rich, savory taste. Whether you're hosting a dinner party or simply looking for a cozy family meal, this roasted chicken is a surefire hit that will leave everyone satisfied and wanting more.
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken (2-3 lbs), innards removed
- 1 stick butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 lemon, halved
- 4 tbsp salt or seasoning salt
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
Instructions
Preparing Your Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. If you have a roasting setting on your oven, use that setting. If not, that's okay, we will adjust the temperature again before the bird finishes roasting.
- In a small bowl, combine seasonings and mix well. Set aside.
- Line base of roasting pan with aluminum foil.
- Chop onion into large chunks and spread over aluminum foil.
- Rinse chicken well under cool water and pat dry with paper towel. Using your hands, carefully pull the skin away from the meat but do not remove the skin. You want to create a pocket for the seasonings and butter to lay in. Do not skip this step. This is the key to delicious, flavorful meat and crispy outer skin.
- Season the bird, inside the skin and on top of the skin, on all sides.
- Chop butter into 1/2 tbsp pads. Place pads directly under the skin on all sides of the bird, paying attention to the breast, wings, thighs, and legs. Season inside of the cavity as well.
- Once your chicken is seasoned generously (feel free to whip up additional batches of seasonings or just measure with your heart!), stuff the cavity with some chopped onion and the lemon.
- Place seasoned and stuffed chicken on top of onion bed in pan. Cover with aluminum foil making a dome or tent shape.
Roasting Your Chicken:
- Place covered chicken in preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove chicken and baste with the juices from the pan.
- Roast again, covered, for 60 minutes, removing the chicken to baste every 30 minutes.
- Turn the oven temperature up to 400 degrees and leave chicken uncovered. Roast for final 30 minutes. (*Note: Skip this temperature change if your oven does have a roast setting.)
- Using a meat thermometer, confirm that the chicken has reached 165 degrees internally.
- Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute properly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 310
