Whole Roasted Chicken Recipe

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This easy roasted chicken recipe is perfect for every cook. Learn how to roast a chicken that’s juicy and tender with golden crispy skin and so much flavor in every bite. This recipe is easy enough for a family meal and fancy enough for company! You can serve it with a variety of sides including salads and rice dishes.

Overhead shot of a roast chicken on a platter.


 

When it comes to chicken recipes, we don’t do bland here! Check out my chicken tagine, grilled spatchcock chicken and of course, saffron chicken to see what I mean. So there’s no question that when I started working on a whole oven roasted chicken recipe, there would be so much flavor involved. We’re talking a yogurt based marinade with spices and saffron plus a Persian inspired filling made with barberries and golden plums!

Now I want you to keep in mind that the filling is optional. The goal of this post is to show you how easy it is to roast a chicken at home without any specific skills or tools. With that in mind, let’s take a look at this detailed tutorial on how to roast chicken that will give you the juiciest most tender chicken every single time!

Why You Should Know How To Roast A Chicken

  • Showstopper: Whether you’re having company over or trying to impress someone, knowing how to roast a chicken will give you so much confidence. And let me tell you, it’s a lot easier than it might seem. It also makes a delicious holiday dinner.
  • Economic: A whole chicken is always cheaper and more economical. You can use the leftovers to make salads, sandwiches and soups, and you can use the carcass to make chicken broth.
  • Flavors: When done right, roasted chicken is a flavor party! The breast is juicy and the skin is crispy. Served with a couple of sides, you’ve got yourself a feast!
Whole roasted chicken in a cast iron skillet.

Tips For The Best Roast Chicken

  • Season well: Make sure the marinade is well seasoned and if you’re not stuffing the chicken, make sure to season the cavity with salt and pepper.
  • Truss: There are a few reasons to truss a chicken. First, you will have a beautifully roasted bird to present. Second, trussing will ensure even cooking and third, it will give you juicy meat since the air won’t circulate inside the cavity, drying out the bird. Trussing is a skill that you can master with a few tries.
  • Use a thermometer: Nothing will determine if the bird is done as well as an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken thigh. It’s not an expensive tool and it will last you a long time.
  • Let the chicken rest: By letting the chicken sit for 10-15 minutes before carving, you give it a chance to lock in the juices, resulting in tender meat.

Roast Chicken Ingredients

For this recipe you need chicken, spices, yogurt, oil, lemon and vegetables.
  • Whole chicken: The chicken I used was about 5 pounds. Make sure the chicken is completely clean and dry on the inside and outside.
  • Spices: You need a combination of onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, turmeric, salt and pepper.
  • Saffron: You know I was about to bring my bloomed saffron into the equation, right? Here is the thing, you can leave saffron out if you don’t have it on hand, but please use it for this recipe if you have some. It’ll give the chicken that luxe bright flavor that cannot be found anywhere else.
  • Olive oil: Some extra virgin olive oil to bring the marinade together.
  • Yogurt: Just like my gyro and Greek chicken recipe, I use yogurt to tenderize the chicken as much as possible and keep it super juicy.
  • Lemon: For some extra bright flavors, add freshly squeezed lemon juice.
  • Onion and garlic: You need these for the filling as well as roasting the chicken.
  • Walnuts, barberries and golden plums: These are used to make the filling. You can find barberries and golden plums online or Persian/Middle Eastern shops.
  • Pomegranate molasses: To add a bit of tartness to the filling. You can make my homemade pomegranate molasses or purchase a bottle at Middle Eastern shops.
  • Potatoes and carrots: Add some vegetables to the bottom of the pan to roast alongside the chicken.

How To Roast A Chicken

Make the marinade and spread on the chicken then roast in the oven.
  1. Prepare the marinade: In a bowl mix the olive oil, spices, bloomed saffron, lemon juice and yogurt and set it aside.
  2. Prepare the chicken: Place the chicken on a sturdy board or on a baking sheet. Gently separate the skin from the meat on the breast. Take some of the marinade and spread it all over the chicken. Using your hands, rub the rest of the marinade under the skin.
  3. Make the filling: Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil. Add in the bell pepper followed by the turmeric, salt and pepper. Then add the walnuts, barberries, golden plums and pomegranate molasses. Give it a final stir and turn the heat off.
  4. Stuff the chicken: Using a spoon, stuff the cavity of the chicken with the filling. Now truss the chicken using kitchen twines (full tutorial below). Trussing is not necessary, but it helps the chicken cook evenly. You can also simply tuck the wings underneath and tie the legs if preferred.
  5. Final touches: Fill a cast iron skillet or roasting pan with vegetables such as potatoes, onions, garlic and carrots. Place the chicken on the vegetables and finish with a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme or some parsley if desired.
  6. Roast and serve: Roast the chicken in the oven at 400 degrees F for about an hour and 40 minutes until the instant thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken thigh reads 165 degrees F.

How Long To Roast A Chicken

Roasting time varies depending on the size of the chicken, whether or not it’s stuffed and the oven heat. It usually takes about 20 minutes per lb to roast a whole chicken that’s been stuffed. Keep in mind that it takes less time to roast the chicken if the bird is not stuffed.

How To Truss A Chicken

How to truss a chicken.

Trussing a chicken is a lot easier than what you might think. Not only it helps with beautiful presentation, trussing a chicken also ensures that the legs and wings don’t burn and that the bird cooks evenly, meaning the breast will stay juicy and tender. Here is how to truss a chicken:

  • Cut about 3 feet of kitchen twin. Place the twin under the chicken below the wings and hold one end up in each hand.
  • Bring each end over the thigh joint and under the legs.
  • Cross the twine and pull to close the legs.
  • Bring each end under the legs one more time.
  • Tie the twine tightly and cut any excess.
  • Finally, tuck the wings under the bird. The chicken is ready to be roasted now.

What To Serve With Roasted Chicken

While there are some veggies that will be roasted with the chicken, I always like to whip up a few sides to go with this comfort dinner as well. Some of our favorites are olive oil mashed potatoes, Persian tahdig, sauteed spinach, spanakorizo, Turkish tomato salad and Mediterranean roasted cauliflower salad.

Leftovers and Reheating

To store the leftovers, cut the chicken into pieces, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can cut the chicken into bite size pieces or remove the bones if needed.

To freeze, it’s best to separate the bones and transfer the meat to a freezer safe container or a freezer bag. You can freeze roasted chicken for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

To reheat the leftovers, place them in an oven-safe dish, cover with aluminum foil and heat in the oven at 300 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until it’s completely heated through.

There are many ways to use up the leftovers chicken, here are a few ideas:

Roasted chicken and vegetables in a skillet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I roast a chicken without stuffing it?

Absolutely. Simply put a cut up lemon and onion in the cavity to give it a good aroma.

What temperature should a roast chicken be cooked to?

I have found 400 degrees F to be the perfect temperature for roasting chicken. It’s not too high to brown the skin too much before the chicken is done and not too low to make the skin soggy.

Should I roast a chicken covered or uncovered?

There is no need to cover the chicken while roasting it. Covering the chicken will actually result in steaming and that will prevent the skin from getting crispy.

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!

Whole roasted chicken on a platter with vegetables.
5 from 4 votes

Whole Roasted Chicken Recipe

This easy roasted chicken recipe is perfect for every cook. Learn how to roast a chicken that's juicy and tender with golden crispy skin and so much flavor in every bite. This recipe is easy enough for a family meal and fancy enough for company! You can serve it with a variety of sides including salads and rice dishes. Keep in mind that you can skip the filling and just stuff the chicken with lemon halves and an onion.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 50 minutes
Total: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6
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Ingredients 

  • 1 whole chicken , about 5 pounds

Marinade:

  • 8 saffron strands
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 lemon , juice of
  • 3 tbsp yogurt

Filling:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion , chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1/2 orange bell pepper , diced
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup walnuts , chopped
  • 2 tbsp barberries, washed
  • 6 golden plums , optional
  • 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

Vegetables To Roast:

  • 2 heads garlic
  • 3 carrots
  • 2 potatoes
  • 1 large onion

Instructions 

  • Make sure the chicken is completely clean and dry.
  • Grind the saffron strands using a pestle and mortar. Sprinkle the ground saffron over 2 cubes of ice and leave it to melt. This will be your bloomed saffron.
  • To make the marinade, mix the bloomed saffron, olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, turmeric, salt, pepper, lemon juice and yogurt in a bowl.
  • Gently separate the skin on the breast from the meat using your fingers. Spoon half of the marinade under the skin and rub it so it coats the breast. Spread the rest of the marinade all over the chicken on the skin. Leave the chicken to marinate as you're making the filling (about 30 minutes).
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • To make the filling, which is optional, heat the olive oil in a pan. Saute the onion until translucent, then add the garlic and bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the turmeric and salt. Add the walnuts, barberries, golden plums and pomegranate molasses. Stir and cook for 5 more minutes. Turn the heat off and let it cool for a few minutes so it's not piping hot anymore.
  • Spoon the filling into the chicken and make sure not to overstuff it.
  • Cut about 3 feet of kitchen twin and put the middle part of it under the chicken right under the wings so both ends would be hanging. Bring both ends over the thigh and leg joint and under the legs. Cross the twine ends so the legs close, bring the ends under the legs again and over to tie tightly. Cut the excess twine. Tuck the wings under the chicken so they don't burn while roasting.
  • Slice the heads of garlic in half so the cloves are showing, cut up the carrots, potatoes and onion into large pieces and place them in a large cast iron skillet or a roasting pan.
  • Place the chicken on the vegetables and roast for 1 hour 40 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes. The chicken is done once an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken thigh shows 165 degrees F and the juices run clear.
  • Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving to lock up the juices.

Video

Notes

  • Find barberries, golden plums and pomegranate molasses online or at Persian/Middle Eastern shops. 
  • The filling is optional, you can skip it and stuff the chicken with lemon halves and onion for good aroma. 

Nutrition

Calories: 549kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 610mg | Potassium: 876mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5766IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Shadi HasanzadeNemati

I'm here to show you how to make delicious Persian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food at home. My easy to follow recipes will bring exciting new flavors to your table!

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