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Whole Roasted Chicken

This roast chicken is supremely juicy, tender, and flavorful thanks to herb butter smothered under and over the skin! The chicken is roasted to golden perfection with the option of potatoes and carrots for a complete meal-in-one. Bonus: Learn how to make quick pan gravy from the sensational drippings!
Course Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 4 -5 servings
Author [email protected]

Ingredients

CHICKEN AND CAVITY

  • 4-6 pounds whole chicken
  • 2 lemons, quartered (zest first for butter)
  • 8-10 sprigs fresh poultry blend herbs like thyme, rosemary, and/or sage (I use all 3)
  • kitchen string

VEGETABLES (See Notes to Skip)

  • 1 pound red or baby potatoes, halved if larger than 1" (quartered if larger)
  • 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks (halved if large)
  • 1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges
  • 1 bulb of fennel, top removed, cut into wedges
  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed with side of knife
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 10 -ish (handful) fresh poultry blend herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

HERB BUTTER

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 tsp EACH garlic powder, paprika, dried rosemary, dried thyme, dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp EACH rubbed sage, onion powder, pepper

GRAVY

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons reserved Herb Butter, divided (in directions)
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth, more or less as needed with drippings
  • salt and pepper
  • chicken bouillon to taste (optional)

Instructions

BRING TO ROOM TEMPERATURE

  • Place the chicken on a plate, remove the chicken giblets, and pat the outside of the chicken very dry.
  • Let the chicken rest at room temperature for 45-60 minutes. Meanwhile, prep the veggies, make the herb butter, and spread it over the chicken anytime in the 60-minute window (directions below).

Prep Veggies

  • In the center of a 9×13 baking dish, add the potatoes, carrots, onions, fennel, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss with 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, then push into an even layer. Add the fresh herbs to the center of the pan in a pile so the chicken will cover them. Pour 1/2 cup chicken broth into the pan from the side corner (If not adding carrots, increase broth to 1 cup). PREP AHEAD: Take care the cut side of the potatoes are submerged in broth, or they will discolor. Alternatively, add them just before roasting.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

MAKE and APPLY HERB BUTTER

  • Mix the Herb Butter ingredients in a medium bowl until evenly combined. Transfer two tablespoons to another small bowl to use later in the gravy.
  • Gently loosen the skin of the chicken breasts near the neck with a spoon. Run your fingers between the skin and the meat to separate, careful not to tear the skin. Spread about 2/3 of the butter under the skin of the breasts (⅓ per breast), then gently press on the top of the skin to spread the butter to the edges. Rub the remaining butter over the top of the chicken breast skin and a little on the legs, too.
  • Transfer the chicken to the prepared veggie pan BREAST SIDE UP. Stuff the cavity near the legs with 1-2 lemons you zested (quartered) and some fresh herbs.
  • Tie the ends of the drumsticks together with the kitchen string. Tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken by taking one wing tip and bending it backward towards the chicken's neck area. Then, tuck the wing tip under the chicken. This will secure it and prevent the wing from flopping or burning during roasting.
  • STOP HERE FOR A MAKE AHEAD OPTION. The turkey can be left tented with foil and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Remove it from the fridge 60 minutes before cooking, then proceed with the recipe.

ROAST

  • Roast the chicken, uncovered, at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Roast for an additional 60-90 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken, until the internal temperature reaches 160F on an instant-read thermometer. Allow 15-20 minutes per 1 pound of chicken. (Always start checking early!) Baste at 30 and 60 minutes.

REST

  • Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Rest, UNCOVERED (so the skin doesn’t get soggy), for 15 before carving. If the vegetables aren't done, continue to cook until tender.

GRAVY

  • Add the drippings/liquid from the pan to a gravy fat separator cup to skim off the fat when poured OR:
  • If you don’t have one, add the drippings to a large freezer bag, seal it, and hold it over a 3+ liquid measuring cup so that one bottom corner tip faces down into the cup like a spout. Make a small cut in this corner with scissors. The bottom liquid will flow through the cut; stop when you reach the fat.
  • Add enough chicken broth to the drippings in the measuring cup to equal 2 ½ cups. Add three tablespoons unsalted butter and ONE tablespoon reserved Herb Butter to a large saucepan and melt over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly.
  • Reduce the heat to low and slowly whisk in the combined 2 ½ cups drippings/broth. Bring to a simmer until thickened to desired consistency, whisking constantly. If it becomes too thick at any point, whisk in more broth.
  • Taste and add additional reserved butter if desired for more flavor. If the gravy needs more salt, I suggest starting with chicken bouillon, 1/4 teaspoon at a time (up to 1 teaspoon), before salting to taste. Season with pepper to taste. Note: the recipe will taste bland until you add enough salt and pepper!

Video

Notes

  • To Skip the Vegetables: Prop the chicken on onion slices and halved oranges instead and increase the broth to one cup.
  • Fennel:  We want to use the bulb for the fennel. Chop off the stalks at their base, where they join the bulb, cut them in half, and then into wedges.
  • Vegetable Size:  It's better to err on the side of smaller/thinner vegetables (chop accordingly) to ensure they cook in time.
  • You NEED an instant-read meat thermometer for roasting a chicken—this is NON-NEGOTIABLE. Without one, you won’t know when the roast chicken is cooked to juicy perfection! You can pick up a thermometer at any grocery store, Target, or Walmart. Most places should carry them, or there is always Amazon.
  • I’m obsessed with my digital meat probe thermometer. You stick the probe in the chicken (or any protein: I use it for chicken, steak, pork, etc. every day), and set an alert for the finished temperature, walk away, and it will beep when ready!  This will guarantee perfectly cooked, juicy roast chicken every time! 
  • Prep Ahead:  Prepare the recipe as written by rubbing the herb butter all over the chicken. Then, allow it to air-chill tented with foil in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours—this will create crispier skin, too! Remove the chicken from the fridge 60 minutes before cooking, then proceed with the recipe.