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Oven Baked Whole Roast Chicken, smothered in garlic and herbs, golden brown, crispy on the outside, and incredibly juicy and tender on the inside. It is so flavorful, requires minimal prep and easy enough to make on busy weeknights!
Looking for other tasty roasted or grilled chicken recipes? You should definitely try my Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers Recipe and my Peri Peri Chicken Breast ! They are some of my favorite weeknight meals that can be made in a breeze.
Why This Recipe is Worth Trying!
- Juicy & Tender – Perfectly cooked with a crispy skin and flavorful, moist meat.
- Simple Ingredients – Made with kitchen staples like butter, garlic, and herbs.
- Customizable – Easily adaptable with different seasonings and flavors.
- One-Pan Meal – Roast it with veggies for a complete meal.
Baked Whole Chicken Ingredients
With just a few simple ingredients and the right technique, you’ll get a flavor-packed, restaurant-quality roasted chicken right at home.
- Flavored butter: for the flavored butter, you’ll need salted butter, minced garlic, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Whole chicken: you’ll need one full whole chicken that is around 4 to 5 pounds.
- Lemon wedges: this is to stuff into the chicken cavity.
- Onion: you’ll need one large onion. You can use yellow, white, or sweet onion.
- Oil: use any neutral oil you have.
- Chicken broth: this helps keep moisture in the oven when the chicken bakes in the oven.
How To Cook Whole Chicken In The Oven
Make the flavored butter: In a small bowl, melt the butter in a microwave. Add in the other ingredients; garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and salt. Mix it well.
Tips for Roasting Whole Chicken
- Dry the Skin – Removing moisture ensures crispy skin.
- Use a Meat Thermometer – Prevents overcooking and keeps it juicy.
- Rest Before Slicing – Locks in the juices for tender meat.
- Baste for Extra Flavor – Spoon the pan juices over the chicken while roasting.
Storage Suggestion
Store: Cut up any remaining chicken into portions or slices, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Freeze: Do the same as storage instuctions, then place them in a sealed bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Sides to Go With Roast Chicken
- With Mashed Potatoes: Easy Homemade Mashed Potatoes, or if you like sweet potatoes, you can try my Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes.
- With Salad: Easy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad, Greek White Bean Salad, Easy House Salad.
- With Sides: Cheesy Smashed Potatoes, Easy Mixed Vegetables Recipe, Crispy Roasted Baby Potatoes.
People Also Ask
It’s best to roast chicken uncovered as it helps the skin get brown and crispy. However, if it’s browning too quickly, cover it for the last 15-20 minutes (depending on the size).
All ovens heat differently. The ideal cook time is usually 75 to 90 minutes uncovered at 425°F (220°C), or around 15-20 minutes per lb . Always check the internal temperature. It should read 165°F.
Do not oven cook and baste with pan juices and let it rest before slicing.
Use in soups, sandwiches, tacos, or chicken salad.
Easy Chicken Recipes
This easy Oven Baked Whole Chicken is a foolproof way to get juicy, flavorful meat with crispy skin every time. With simple ingredients and customizable seasonings, it’s a versatile, budget-friendly meal perfect for busy weeknights or special occasions.
If you try this recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave a star rating in the comment section below. Also follow me at Cookin’ With Mima on Facebook |Instagram |Pinterest for all of my latest social posts and recipes.
Oven Baked Roasted Whole Chicken
Ingredients
To prepare flavored butter
- ½ cup butter, salted
- 2 tbsps. garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
- ½ tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tsp. black pepper, fresh ground
- 1 tsp. salt, adjust to taste
To roast the chicken
- 4-5 lb. whole chicken
- 1 large onion, cut into wedges
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- Lemon wedges, to garnish (optional)
- Fresh thyme, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 425 F
- Make the flavored butter: In a small bowl, melt the butter in a microwave. Add in the other ingredients; garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and salt. Mix it well.
- Add the onion wedges at the bottom of the dish. Place the chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan.
- Coat the chicken: Rub half the butter mixture under the skin and the rest over the chicken. Stuff the chicken: Stuff the cavity with lemon halves, garlic, and onion for extra flavor.
- Step 3: Bake the chicken: Pour chicken broth into the pan to keep the meat moist. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes (about 15 minutes per pound), basting with pan juices halfway through. Check the internal temperature of chicken to make sure it's 165 F. If needed, roast for an additional 10-15 minutes (cover with alluminum foil if chicken is brown enough).
- Rest and serve: Remove the chicken and set aside to rest for 10 minutes, covered in aluminum foil wrap and then slice and serve.
Notes
- Dry the Skin – Removing moisture ensures crispy skin.
- Use a Meat Thermometer – Prevents overcooking and keeps it juicy.
- Rest Before Slicing – Locks in the juices for tender meat.
- Baste for Extra Flavor – Spoon the pan juices over the chicken while roasting.
I will definitely try it.
Looks super delicious 😋
I always like to cook for my kids same like your recipe thanks so much @cookinwithmima.com for your beautiful recipes❤️❤️
I used this recipe for a pre-stuffed roast chicken weight 5.2lbs total. I used a large casserole dish and places the chicken over a bed of 1/4 sliced onions and added 3 cups of chicken broth.
I placed the chicken in the oven on one of the lower racks. I was skeptical at first, as I usually only cook them for about 15 minutes at 450° (I also use the “convection roast” setting on my oven) so changing the timing from 15 minutes to 60 minutes made the skin very nice and crispy.
I would take the chicken out for basting because I didn’t want to lose the heat from having the oven open. I also like to move the position the chicken faces in the oven to assure even cooking through out.
Once I lowered the temp I slowed down the frequency of basting, and once the chicken was done, I pulled out a lovely roast chicken that was moist and cooked perfectly.
I used the liquid that was left in the casserole to make a homemade gravy (I highly suggest doing this because it creates less waste) which you can easily accomplish while the chicken is resting.
10/10 would make again~
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.
Tried this recipe on Oct. 18th 2023. Had to do less flavorings. But it tasted so delicious. I would recommend this recipe for others to try.
Brenda w
Hi Brenda,
Thanks for the review. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.