Roast Chicken in Oven
Coooking Temperature: 425°F / 220°C / Gas mark 7
Calories: 810kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 6 people
Description
Here's how to make whole roast chicken in the oven perfectly every single time. This chicken is juicy on the inside with a crisp golden skin on the outside that looks perfect on the center of any festive dinner. The best part is it's using simple and easy-to-find ingredients. Leftovers are perfect for sandwiches and wraps.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs (1.5 kg) Chicken
Dry rub
- 1 tablespoon Smoked sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon Hot paprika
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
For cavity
- 3 sprigs Rosemary
- 3 sprigs Thyme
- 1 Lemon halved
Garlic butter marinade
- 2 tablespoon Butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoon Garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
Basting
- 2 tablespoon Butter
Gravy
- ½ cup (120 ml) Stock
- 1 tablespoon All-purpose flour
Instructions
Roasting chicken
- Preheat the oven at 425°F / 220°C / Gas mark 7
- Prep chicken - Clean and pat dry the chicken on all sides with paper towels. Remove excess fat or leftover feathers. While the chicken is dry use your finger to loosen the gap between the breast and the skin to fill the garlic butter marinade later Pro tip - A dry bird will give crispy skin. When possible leave the chicken uncovered in the fridge overnight. Loosening the skin under the breast now is easier than when it's greasy with the oil.
- Dry rub - In a bowl, combine paprika, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Rub the paprika mixture all over the chicken skin as well as in the cavity.Pro tip - rubbing the skin with paprika gives a deeper color which looks nice. You can use hot or sweet paprika.
- Garlic butter - In the same bowl, combine the garlic, butter, salt, and pepper. Fill half the garlic butter under the skin over the breast (see video). Spread the remaining over the chicken.Pro tip - adding butter under the skin will keep the breast moist and tender.
- Cavity - Fill the cavity with rosemary, thyme, and lemon halves. Then, truss or tie the chicken legs and tuck the wings under.Pro tip - filling the cavity with herbs will perfume the bird from the inside.
- Place the chicken on a roasting pan, breast side up. Roast the chicken for 15 minutes at 220°C / 425°F / Gas Mark 7 then reduce temperature to 165°C / 325°F Gas Mark 3
- Butter - After 40 minutes, remove from the oven and brush the skin with butter on all sides. (optional). Pro tip -You can skip this step but this will give a nice crisp skin and deeper color to the bird.
- Put the chicken back into the oven breast side down and bake for another 20 minutes or until the juices run clear when pierced with a skewer in the thickest part of the chicken thigh.Pro tip - we turn the chicken so it is golden on all sides and also prevents the breast from drying out.
- As a guide, you roast the first 15 minutes at 220°C/ 425°F/ Gas Mark 7, reduce temperature to 165°C / 325°F Gas Mark 3. Calculate 20 minutes for every 1 lb ( 500 grams) of chicken until juices run clear or the internal temperature reaches 165°F / 75°C. Pro tip - Use a meat thermometer is a great way to take the guesswork and omit any calculating time. All you do is stick the thermometer and check the internal temperature. It should be 165°F or 75°C in the thickest part of the thigh or 145 F in the breast.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and tent it with a foil – let cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes before you carve. Serve with pan juices or use any pan dripping to make gravy.Pro tip - letting the bird rest will help the juices settle otherwise the moment you cut all the juices will run out leaving the bird dry.
Gravy (optional)
- Skim off any fat in the pan juices. Place the roasting rack on the stovetop or transfer the juices to a frying pan. Add the stock and deglaze the pan. Then, add the flour and continue to cook until thickened. Strain gravy through a sieve into a serving bowl. Serve hot with cut chicken.
Recipe Notes
- Weigh the chicken so you can calculate the baking time.
- Pat dry the chicken before you marinate. Time permitting, leave the chicken uncovered in the fridge for 8 hours. The fridge does a great job of drying the skin.
- Thaw the chicken well before cooking. Chilled chicken results in uneven roasting.
- Leave the skin on when roasting the whole chicken even if you are not going to eat the skin. The skin prevents the meat from drying out and overcooking. Remove excess fat as much as you can.
- Loosen the skin of the chicken on the breast this will allow you to add as much seasoning as possible. Use butter, spices or herbs on the breast as this prevents the breast from drying out.
- Always season the chicken generously, perhaps a little more than you think it needs. And don't forget to season the cavity.
- If you can, tie/truss the chicken or at least tie the legs and tuck the wings under this makes for a better presentation.
- Use a roasting pan to roast chicken. If you don't have a roasting pan, scrunch up some foil and make a circle or prop the chicken on a few cut veggies like onions and root veggies. This helps air circulate all around the chicken.
- When baked, always tent the chicken and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. This lets all the juices settle in the meat. If you cut too soon the juices will flow out and the chicken will be dry.
- Invest in a meat thermometer, these are very inexpensive these days. A meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of any roast and is the best way to know if the chicken is cooked perfectly.
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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