Easy Juicy Roast Chicken (Whole Chicken) • Zona Cooks

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This Easy Juicy Roast Chicken recipe is simple to prepare and full of flavor. It is a juicy oven baked chicken that is tender and moist with a delicious crispy browned skin and only requires a few simple ingredients.

Try this dish for an easy yet impressive Christmas, Thanksgiving, or New Year's dinner.

This recipe is moderately low-carb, but not necessarily by Keto extreme low-carb guidelines.

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Why I love this recipe

This roast chicken is so easy, and comes out so juicy and tender every time.

Juicy Roast Chicken in a cast iron skillet. — Juicy Roast Chicken

If you love baked poultry recipes you may also like these Roasted Cornish Hens with Vegetables.

Ingredients

(amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)

roasting chicken

Kosher salt

black pepper

butter

dried thyme

paprika

Equipment used in this recipe

How to bake a whole chicken

Step - 1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and move the oven rack to the lowest position.

Step - 2 Remove the package containing the liver, heart, gizzard, and neck from the cavity of the chicken. Discard or use however you like.

Step - 3 Rinse the chicken inside and out.

Step - 4 Pat the outside and inside very dry with paper towel and remove any leftover pin feathers.

Step - 5 Generously salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.

Step - 6 Place the chicken in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Click for a 10 inch cast iron skillet.

Step - 7 Turn the chicken breast side down in the skillet. Melt the butter and use a pastry brush to brush the outside of the chicken with half of the butter.

Step - 8 Turn the chicken over, breast side up, and brush with the remaining melted butter.

melted butter rubbed all over a whole chicken in a cast iron skillet.

Step - 9 Sprinkle the outside of the chicken with the salt, pepper, thyme, and paprika.

salt, pepper, thyme, and paprika sprinkled onto a whole chicken in a cast iron skillet.

Step - 10 Tie the leg ends together with the kitchen cooking twine. Click for kitchen cooking twine.

a whole chicken with the legs tied with kitchen cooking twine in a cast iron skillet ready to bake.

Step - 11 Bake the chicken for 1 ½ hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Chicken is done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Use a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh but not touching bone.

Step - 12 Remove the chicken from the oven and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes.

tin foil tent over cooked whole roast chicken. — Juicy Baked Chicken

Step - 13 Carve the chicken and serve on a platter.

Not sure how to carve it? Check out this video on How to Carve a Roast Chicken.

Easy Juicy Whole Roasted Chicken baked in a cast iron skillet. — Cast Iron Roasted Whole Chicken

Pro Tips

When making this recipe there are a few things you can do to ensure they turn out perfectly every time.

Pat it dry. If you don’t pat it dry, the liquid on the bird will steam the skin instead of make it crispy so take the time to pat it dry.
Salt the interior and the exterior. You could salt it a few days early to help dry out the skin and make it even crispier, or you can salt it a few minutes before and it will still turn out great.
Use butter and herbs on the skin. This will baste the chicken while it cooks, add flavor, and be delicious.
Rest the chicken after removing it from the oven. It will allow the juices to reabsorb and help it be so moist and juicy.
Chicken is done cooking when the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F . Use a meat or instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh but not touching bone.

a baked whole Easy Juicy Roast Chicken in a cast iron skillet. — Slow Roasted Whole Chicken

Recipe FAQs

Should I cover a chicken with foil when roasting?

No. For this recipe wait until it's done baking then cover with foil for about 20 minutes.

What is the difference between roasted and baked chicken?

Baking happens when the oven temp is at 375 degrees F or lower. Roasting happens at a higher temperature of 400 degrees or above.

You may also enjoy

Juicy Roast Chicken

Zona House

This easy Juicy Roast Chicken recipe is simple to prepare and full of flavor. It is a whole oven roasted chicken that is tender and juicy with a delicious crispy browned skin and only requires a few simple ingredients.

4.52 from 33 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 30

Rest 20

Total Time 2

Course Chicken-Poultry

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 305 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and move the oven rack to the lowest position.
Remove the package containing the liver, heart, gizzard, and neck from the cavity of the chicken. Discard or use however you like.
Rinse the chicken inside and out.
Pat the outside and inside very dry with paper towel and remove any leftover pin feathers.
Generously salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.
Place the chicken breast side down in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Click for a 10 inch cast iron skillet.
Melt the butter and brush the outside of the chicken with half of the butter. Turn the chicken over, breast side up, and brush with the remaining melted butter.
Sprinkle the outside of the chicken with the salt, pepper, thyme, and paprika.
Tie the leg ends together with the kitchen cooking twine. Click for kitchen cooking twine.
Bake the chicken for 1 ½ hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Chicken is done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Use a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh but not touching bone.
Remove the chicken from the oven and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes.
Carve the chicken and serve on a platter.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 305kcalCarbohydrates: 0.3gProtein: 22gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 118mgPotassium: 255mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.02gVitamin A: 1275IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 2mg

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Hi and welcome. I’m Zona and I have a passion for recipes. I share recipes, tips, tricks, and resources to help you cook for two. Eat, drink, and enjoy!