Oven Roasted Chicken Recipe
An oven-roasted chicken recipe is one we should all have in our arsenal, whether we’re a beginner cook or have been cooking for decades. This three-ingredient recipe yields a juicy chicken with the crispiest skin every.single.time, with no stuffing required. Trust me, this will become your go-to method for cooking a whole chicken.
Equipment
- Pan or Skillet with a trivet or oven-proof rack
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound chicken
- 1 Tablespoon salt or more, to taste
- 1 Tablespoon lemon pepper or more, to taste
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Take your time here and make sure it’s completely dry (this is an important step to getting crispy skin). Then, season the chicken on all sides and let it rest in a bowl while the oven preheats to 425°F (220°C). Pro Tip: Be sure your seasoning has salt in it. This helps draw out excess moisture to get that crispy skin.
- Place chicken, breast side down, on a rack inside a roasting pan or cast iron skillet. Bake for 50 minutes.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven and, using tongs, flip the chicken so the breast side is up. Continue roasting for another 20-30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the skin is brown and crispy.
- Let the chicken rest for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing so the juices can redistribute.
- Carve and serve warm (see serving recommendations below).
Notes
Tips for the Best Roast Chicken
- Do not stuff – Do NOT put anything in the cavity of the chicken. No onion, lemon, garlic… nothing! The secret to juicy chicken with crispy skin is the dry environment.
- Breast side down – It may sound odd to cook a chicken upside down, but this is key to keeping the breast meat from drying out. And flipping the chicken over for the last 20-30 minutes of roasting crisps the breast skin up perfectly.
- Watch it closely – During the last 20 minutes of cooking, watch the chicken carefully to make sure the skin isn’t getting too brown. If the skin looks like it’s close to getting burned, but the chicken isn’t yet to temperature, loosely cover the chicken with a piece of tin foil.
- Salad – Make a simple green salad, add some chicken on top and dress with this homemade buttermilk ranch dressing.
- Soup – Add cooked chicken to these quick and easy soups: cream of mushroom, cream of onion, cream of potato, or cream of celery.
- Wrap – Make a quick lunch with some veggies, homemade pickles and leftover roast chicken stuffed in a homemade sourdough tortilla or these sweet potato wraps.
- Casserole – A casserole is a homesteader’s saving grace. It’s the perfect way to use up leftovers in the refrigerator and create something hearty, warm and delicious. My chicken and broccoli casserole is no exception.
- Refrigerator: Slice, dice or shred your chicken and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Use or freeze before the fifth day for the best freshness.
- Freezer: Slice, dice or shred your chicken, or freeze in individual pieces (chicken breasts, legs and wings) in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to three months. To use, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat or use as an ingredient in any of the recipes mentioned above.
Nutrition
Serving: 6ozCalories: 267kcalCarbohydrates: 0.4gProtein: 23gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 784mgPotassium: 241mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.004gVitamin A: 176IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!