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Easy Roast Chicken – a tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken is super easy and ready in no time! Great for meal prep, a weeknight dinner or serve for fit for a celebration!
Easy Roast Chicken is a lifesaver recipe to keep in your back pocket. It’s so simple yet packed with a ton of irresistible flavor. I like to stock up when whole chickens are on sale, and then you can make it any night of the week. You can make a couple at a time, and have shredded chicken on hand for meal prep to make your week easy!
Pair it with Honey Butter Dinner Rolls and Sweet Potato Casserole for a legendary feast. Think of this as your culinary shortcut to applause-worthy meals without the fuss.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Roast Chicken
- Time-Saving Magic: With our recipe, time becomes your ally. The easy preparation and hands-off roasting mean you can spend more time doing what you want outside of the kitchen.
- Versatility on Your Plate: This recipe isn’t just confined to chicken; it’s a culinary chameleon. Whether you’re dreaming of a classic Roast Chicken or envisioning a majestic Roast Turkey, the simplicity of this recipe makes it your go-to for a versatile, show-stopping main course.
- Easy Meal Prep: A chicken doesn’t take up that much space in the oven, and the cook time isn’t any more if you add more than one. So stock up when they are on sale, and you can make a couple at once. Then you have shredded chicken for sandwiches, salads, soups, casseroles etc all week long!
What You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- A Whole Chicken – They usually weigh 3-5 pounds.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter
- Lemon
- Fresh Rosemary
- Fresh Thyme
- Paprika
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Dried Parsley
- Garlic
- Salt and Pepper – Adjust the amount based on your taste
How To Make Easy Roast Chicken
- Get Ready. Preheat the oven to 450°F and gather your ingredients and tools. Chop the parsley, mince the garlic, and get ready to get cooking!
- Create the Compound Butter. Mix the softened butter, Italian seasoning, parsley, and garlic in a small bowl until fully incorporated.
- Prep the Chicken. Thoroughly pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
- Butter It Up! Use your hands to spread the butter all over the chicken, ensuring it reaches every nook and cranny, even under the skin!
- Season and Roast. Sprinkle the chicken generously with salt and pepper, then place it in a roasting dish. A brief 15 minutes in a hot oven creates that initial golden crust.
- Adjust the Temperature. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F so the chicken can roast low and slow for 1 hour until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. The result is juicy, succulent perfection.
- Rest and Revel. Remove the chicken from the oven and tent it loosely with foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Then, slice, serve, and revel in delicious simplicity!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Flavor Your Way – Don’t fret if Italian Seasoning plays hide-and-seek in your pantry. Experiment and infuse your roast with new flavors— a touch of smoked paprika, a hint of lemon zest, or a dash of cayenne.
- The Secret To Crispy Skin – Ensure your chicken is bone-dry before applying the herb-infused butter. The less moisture there is, the easier it will be to spread the butter, and the crispier the skin will be.
- Size Matters – Whether roasting a petite chicken or a large turkey, adjust the cooking time accordingly. This recipe calls for a 5-pound chicken, but the rule of thumb is about 15 minutes per pound. But, the key is ensuring that the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Let It Rest! After you remove the roast from the oven, resist the urge to drive straight into slicing. Let it rest so that the juices can redistribute. This keeps the meat juicy and tender.
Storing Leftover Roast Chicken
Place leftover roast chicken in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it. Eat it within 3-4 days for the best flavor and freshness.
Serving Easy Roast Chicken
This is such a versatile meal, you can serve on it’s own with a Tossed Salad and some Crispy Smashed Potatoes. Or you can slice the chicken and use the meat for a million other recipes!
- Avocado Chicken Salad
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Baked Chicken Taquitos
- Quesadillas
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Easy Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 5 pound whole chicken
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 whole lemon, but in half
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450º F.
- Mix together the butter, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and dried parsley until everything is well blended. Set aside.
- Remove giblets if they are in your chicken. Using a paper towel, pat the chicken dry.
- Using your hands, lifting the skin from the chicken breast, work about half of the butter mixture under the skin and all over the meat. Spread the remaining butter over the top of the outside of the chicken.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the lemon, rosemary, thyme and garlic cloves into the center cavity of the chicken.
- Place the chicken in a roasting dish or a large enough baking dish to fit, you want it to have sides so any juices that drip will not make a mess of your oven. Put the chicken in a hot oven for 15 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350º F and let the chicken continue to cook for about another hour (approximately 15 minutes per pound) or until the internal temperature is 165º F.
- Remove the chicken from the oven, loosely cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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i would make a turkey in it.
This turkey looks amazing!
I would not need as much rice as this recipe yields (only for me an my husband). Can this recipe be divided in half? What adjustments in preparation would I need to make?
There is no rice called for in the recipe, I am not sure if you commented on a different post than you intended to?
Oh, this is so good! My family loves roasted chicken, so I couldn’t wait to try your recipe. I served it with mashed potatoes and mixed veggies, and it was amazing!
I will definitely be making this come Thanksgiving!
Can’t wait to try this! Looks amazing!
The simplicity of preparation and the juicy, flavorful chicken—it’s a winner. Love how versatile it is for different seasonings!
Why all the comments about turkey? I’m pretty sure this was a recipe for CHICKEN! LOL..
You mention lemon, fresh thyme and fresh rosemary in the ingredients but they’re no where to be found in the directions. I’m assuming put them in the cavity?
Yep, updating the recipe card! Sorry about that, but thanks for letting me know.