Juicy Roast Chicken

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.

As an Amazon Associate, I may make a small commission, at no additional cost, if you purchase through product affiliate links in this post.

Why I love this recipe

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

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

• paper towel
• cast iron skillet
• pastry brush
• kitchen twine
• meat thermometer
• aluminum foil

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.

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

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

Step – 11 Bake the chicken for 1 1/2 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.

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.

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.

Recipe FAQs

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Beef Roast with Vegetables

Prime Rib Ribeye Roast

Baked Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Carrots

Continue to Content

Yield: 6 servings

Juicy Roast Chicken

Print

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.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Rest 20 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 roasting chicken (about 5 lbs)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and move the oven rack to the lowest position.
2. Remove the package containing the liver, heart, gizzard, and neck from the cavity of the chicken. Discard or use however you like.
3. Rinse the chicken inside and out.
4. Pat the outside and inside very dry with paper towel and remove any leftover pin feathers.
5. Generously salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.
6. Place the chicken breast side down in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Click for a 10 inch cast iron skillet.
7. 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.
8. Sprinkle the outside of the chicken with the salt, pepper, thyme, and paprika.
9. Tie the leg ends together with the kitchen cooking twine. Click for kitchen cooking twine.
10. Bake the chicken for 1 1/2 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.
11. Remove the chicken from the oven and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes.
12. Carve the chicken and serve on a platter.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate I may make a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you make a purchase through product links in this post.

• 
  Sparkle® Tear-A-Square® Paper Towels, 2 Double Rolls = 4 Regular Rolls, 2 Count (Pack of 1)
• 
  Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Skillet
• 
  Teal Silicone Pastry Brush
• 
  Mrs. Anderson’s Baking Cooking Twine 200-Feet
• 
  ThermoPro TP-07 Wireless Remote Digital Meat Thermometer
• 
  Reynolds Wrap Standard Aluminum Foil - 200 Square Feet

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 274Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 165mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 27g

Nutrition information is a guideline only, is calculated automatically by third party software, and absolute accuracy is not guaranteed.

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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!

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