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Oven Baked Whole Chicken gives you tender, juicy chicken seasoned with garlic, butter, fresh herbs, lemon, and onion. Add mashed potatoes, vegetables, rice, or salad for an easy dinner.
Love trying different chicken recipes? My Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers Recipe and Peri Peri Chicken Breast are two more easy recipes to try for dinner.
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Why This Dish Belongs in Your Weekly Menu
- One-pan meal. The chicken, onions, and broth cook together in one roasting pan for fewer dishes to wash afterward.
- Good for leftovers. Extra chicken can be used for sandwiches, salads, wraps, soups, or other meals.
- Minimal prep work. Most of the cooking time is hands-off once the chicken is seasoned and placed in the oven.
Baked Whole Chicken Ingredients
- Whole Chicken: Use a whole chicken that weighs around 4 to 5 pounds. If frozen, thaw it completely before cooking.
- Garlic Herb Butter: Butter, garlic, fresh parsley, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, and salt give the chicken its savory herb flavor.
- Lemon and Onion: Fresh lemon adds a light citrus flavor, while onion adds savory flavor. Yellow, white, or sweet onion will work.
- Chicken Broth: Regular or low-sodium chicken broth can be used, depending on your preference.
*See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Oven
Step 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2: Make the garlic herb butter. In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Add the garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, and salt. Mix well.
Step 3: Arrange the chicken. Add the onion wedges to the bottom of the dish. Place the chicken breast-side up in the roasting pan.
Step 4: Coat and stuff the chicken. Rub half of the butter mixture under the skin and the rest over the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, garlic, and onion.
Step 5: Bake the chicken. Pour the chicken broth into the pan. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes, about 15 minutes per pound, and baste with the pan juices halfway through.
Note: Check the chicken’s internal temperature to make sure it reaches 165 degrees F. If needed, roast for an additional 10-15 minutes. If the chicken is brown enough, cover it with aluminum foil.
Step 6: Rest and serve. Remove the chicken from the oven and cover it with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
How Long to Bake a Whole Chicken
For a 4- to 5-pound whole chicken, allow about 1 hour 15 minutes at 425 degrees F, or approximately 15 minutes per pound. Check the internal temperature before removing the chicken from the oven. It should reach 165 degrees F.
If the chicken needs more time, roast it for another 10-15 minutes. If it has already browned enough, cover it with aluminum foil.
Success Tips for Extra Flavor
- Get the herb butter under the skin. Gently loosen the skin without tearing it, then spread half of the butter underneath to season the meat directly.
- Check the thickest part for doneness. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken without touching the bone. The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F.
- Baste with the pan juices. Use the juices collected in the roasting pan to baste the chicken halfway through cooking.
- Watch the browning near the end. If the chicken is brown enough but needs another 10-15 minutes in the oven, cover it with aluminum foil.
Sides to Go With Roast Chicken
- With Potatoes: Potatoes pair well with oven baked whole chicken. Try Easy Homemade Mashed Potatoes, Crispy Roasted Baby Potatoes, or Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes.
- With Salad: Serve it with Easy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad, Greek White Bean Salad, or Easy House Salad.
- With Vegetables: Easy Mixed Vegetables make a simple vegetable side. You can also serve Cheesy Smashed Potatoes for another potato option.
Helpful Answers to Common Questions
No. Roast the chicken uncovered. If the skin has browned enough before the chicken is fully cooked, cover it with aluminum foil for the remaining cooking time.
Yes. You can substitute dried herbs for fresh herbs, but use about one-third of the amount since dried herbs are more concentrated. For example, use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for every 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs called for in the recipe.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover chicken in portions or slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
You can also freeze the chicken in portions or slices. Place them in a sealed freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place the chicken in a baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and warm at 350 degrees F until heated through. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave.
Easy Chicken Recipes
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and rate the recipe! Also follow me at Cookin’ With Mima on Facebook |Instagram |Pinterest for all of my latest social posts and recipes.
Oven Baked 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 the oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Add the garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, and salt. Mix well.
- Add the onion wedges to the bottom of the dish. Place the chicken breast-side up in the roasting pan.
- Rub half of the butter mixture under the skin and the rest over the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, garlic, and onion.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pan. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes, about 15 minutes per pound, and baste with the pan juices halfway through.Note: Check the chicken’s internal temperature to make sure it reaches 165 degrees F. If needed, roast for an additional 10-15 minutes. If the chicken is brown enough, cover it with aluminum foil.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and cover it with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes and Recipe Tips
- Pat the chicken dry before seasoning to help the skin brown and crisp in the oven.
- Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part without touching the bone and cook until it reaches 165 degrees F.
- Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing to help retain the juices.
- Spoon the pan juices over the chicken halfway through roasting for added flavor and moisture.
Nice
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.