Easy Roast Chicken

close-up of cooked crispy whole roast chicken in a shallow bowl surrounded by fresh rosemary

5 from 4 votes

This roast chicken recipe is super simple to prep and results in tender chicken with crispy skin and delicious buttery, lemony juices that have a hint of garlic and rosemary!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: best roast chicken recipe, perfect roast chicken, whole roasted chicken recipe

Servings:

Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (3.5-6 pounds)
Salt & pepper to taste
1 lemon cut into quarters
6 cloves garlic peeled
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick) melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F and move the rack to the middle position. If possible, take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to starting the recipe. Melt the butter in the microwave or a small saucepan.
Remove giblets from the cavity (there may not be any but you will know if there are) and pat the chicken dry with paper towel.
Season the chicken generously with salt & pepper (inside the cavity too). Place the lemon pieces in the cavity, along with the garlic cloves and rosemary (it's ok if some sticks out a bit). Optional: tie the legs together with kitchen twine so it cooks more evenly.
Add the chicken, breast side up, to a roasting pan or dish (one with a rack will ensure the best all-over crispy skin). Pour the melted butter over the chicken.
For a 3.5-4 pound chicken, roast for 55-65 minutes. For a 5-6 pound bird, it may take up to an hour an a half. I do not baste the bird or open the oven during this time.
Test the chicken: When the chicken is cooked, there won't be visible pink when you make a cut between the leg and the thigh, juices will run clear, and the legs will easily move when you try to wiggle them. Only using those cues can be unreliable, however, and can lead to overcooked chicken.
For best results, an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching the bone) should read a minimum of 165F, but I find the sweet spot for roast chicken is in the 170s (thigh becomes tender once it's past 170F but the breast isn't overcooked). Keep in mind the temperature will continue to rise a bit after you've taken it out of the oven.
Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes to redistribute juices prior to carving. Don't forget to spoon the buttery juices over the chicken and any side dishes.

Notes

Please take a few moments and read the full blog post (it's filled with tips, suggestions/substitutions, and FAQs)... especially if you've never roasted a chicken before.
Feel free to change up the herbs!
If you're unsure where to insert the meat thermometer, see the photo within the blog post.

Nutrition