Roast Chicken slathered with a garlic-herb-lemon butter then oven roasted to golden crispy perfection.
Juicy on the inside, and served with liquid gold pan juices loaded with flavour, this is THE Roast Chicken recipe you’ll make over and over again!
The best Roast Chicken recipe is….
….. juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside with golden skin that’s buttery and herby and garlicky with just a subtle perfume of lemon to remind you it’s there without overwhelming.
It creates its own pan juices that’s used as the sauce for the chicken. This stuff is liquid gold!
This is the chicken version of the Herb and Garlic Butter Roasted Turkey Breast I shared for Christmas / Thanksgiving last year. I’ve lost count of how many messages there were asking for a chicken version – and I’m finally sharing it!
How to make the BEST roast chicken!
The best roast chicken has garlic herb butter under and on the skin, is stuffed with lemon and herbs, roasted until it’s crispy and deep golden on the outside, and juicy on the inside.
It’s really easy to prepare a whole chicken for roasting. The trick is to use an upside down dessert spoon to loosen the skin – the shape hugs the curves of the chicken and it doesn’t tear the skin.
Then simply spoon the garlic-herb-butter under the skin then spread it from the outside. OR hold it upright and drizzle in (see photos below) – whatever you find easier!
TIP: Use most of the butter under the skin, that’s where you get the most bang for your buck. Plus, garlic burns on the skin so you don’t want too much on the surface.
After the chicken is all buttered up, place it on a bed of garlic and onion. This serves two purposes:
-
Elevates the chicken off the base of the pan for more even cooking (otherwise the underside sits in the pan juices and will cook faster); and
-
Adds extra flavour into the pan juices used as the sauce for this recipe. OR used for gravy!
How to make the BEST roast chicken (cont’d)
I like to stuff the chicken with a wedges of lemon and a couple of sprigs of rosemary. Not so much for the flavour, because in truth, you can just barely taste it. It’s more for the perfume you get when you cut into the chicken so it seems like you can taste it.
And this is the reason why I do not put garlic inside oven roasted chicken. There’s no point – it doesn’t get hot enough to make any difference to flavour and just steams.
Flavour bomb set, now it’s time for the easy part – roasting.
How long does it take to roast a 2 kg chicken?
10 minutes at 220C/450F, then 1 hr 15 minutes at 180C/350F until the internal temperature is 75C/165F or until juices run clear.
The formula is: 10 minutes at 220C/450F, then 20 minutes for every 500g/1lb at 180C/350F until the internal temperature is 75C/165F or until juices run clear.
But….. I want gravy!!
OK OK, hold the tantrum! It’s all good! I have the gravy recipe in the notes.😇
But really, give the liquid gold a go one of these days…. It’s crazy good! I mean, it’s garlic butter. Infused with herb flavours and a hint of lemon. Mingling with roasted chicken juices.
Watch the video. It tastes even better than it looks! – Nagi x
More whole chicken recipes
-
Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Roast Chicken (set and forget!)
-
Jamie Oliver’s Chicken in Milk (seriously delish!)
-
Chicken Noodle Soup – from scratch!
What to do with leftovers?
Use it to make epic Bread Bowl Sandwich, Chicken Pasta Salad, Chinese Chicken Salad or toss it into a Frittata or Omelette! salad
Best of Sunday Supper Roasts
Roast Chicken recipe
Watch how to make it
Sometimes it helps to have a visual – so watch me make this Roast Chicken recipe!
Roast Chicken recipe originally published May 2016, improved May 2018. Updated for housekeeping matters January 2019, no change to recipe. It’s perfect as is! 🙂
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.75 - 2 kg / 3.5 - 4lb whole chicken , patted dry
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 3 rosemary sprigs
Butter:
- 100 g / 1 stick unsalted butter , melted
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tbsp sage , finely chopped (Note 1)
- 2 tsp rosemary , finely chopped (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp parsley , finely chopped (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp each salt and black pepper
Under Chook:
- 1 cup / 250 ml dry white wine , or low sodium chicken broth
- 1 onion , quartered (Note 2)
- 1 garlic bulb , halved horizontally (Note 2)
Instructions
- Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat oven to 220C/450F (standard) or 200C/430F (fan/convection). Put shelf in the middle.
- Mix together Butter ingredients. Add juice from 2 wedges of lemon.
- Place chicken in a roasting pan. Use a dessert spoon to loosen skin from chicken (see video). Do the top (the breast) and the drumsticks – not the underside.
- Prop chicken upright, drizzle butter under skin, using most of the garlic/herb sludge, but saving a bit of butter for the skin (Note 3).
- Drizzle / smear remaining butter all over surface of the chicken. Squeeze over juice of 2 lemon wedges.
- Stuff used lemon wedges and rosemary inside chicken.
- Tie drumstick ends with string and tuck wing tips under the chicken.
- Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
- Place onion and garlic in the pan, place chicken on top. Pour wine around, drizzle chicken with oil.
- Transfer to oven. Roast for 10 minutes, then turn oven down to 180C/350F (all oven types). Roast for a further 1 hr 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 75C/165F or until juices run clear when pierced at the join between the drumstick and the body. Baste twice (30 min then at 1 hr), spooning pan juices over skin.
- Rest for 15 minutes – don’t cover, skin becomes wet.
- Serve with pan juices (see video for how to carve). I discard onion but use the garlic in the pan. See notes for side suggestions & how to use carcass for incredible homemade broth!
Recipe Notes:
50 g / 3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp / 40 g flour (any white)
2 cups / 500 ml liquid from pan topped up with low sodium chicken broth Melt butter over medium heat, add flour, stir for 1 minute. Add half the liquid while whisking. Once incorpoated and lump free, add remaining liquid. Continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring regularly, until gravy thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 5. COOK TIMES: 10 minutes at 220C/450F, then 20 minutes for every 500g/1lb at 180C/350F until the internal temperature is 75C/165F or until juices run clear. This assumes the chicken was taken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. If it’s fridge cold, add another 10 minutes to the cook time. 6. TYING DRUMSTICKS: I find it easiest to use one piece of string, wrap string around one leg, then yank the other leg closer and wrap string around that one to. Then once string is around both of them, it's much easier to handle to use the string to pull then together then wrap the string around both of them tightly so they are crossed over each other. 7. CARCASS and leftover bits/juices: Scrape it all into a pot or slow cooker, add water so water is about 2.5cm / 1" above chicken. Add 2 tsp Vegeta or chicken stock powder or 2 crumbled cubes, celery, carrot and a few garlic cloves (chunky pieces) and a few sprigs of fresh herbs like thyme/rosemary/parsley OR 1 tsp dried herbs. Simmer 1 hour / slow cooker 6 hours, strain. Pick out/off bits of chicken to use in soup. Use as incredible broth for Chicken Noodle Soup or Chicken Rice Soup. 8. SIDES: Roast potatoes (cut, toss in olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs, roast under chicken for 40 minutes), mashed potato or cauliflower, or garlic bread. Also try Potatoes au Gratin or Easy Cheesy Potato Bake - can make ahead then reheat in oven quickly. Pictured on the very edge of photo in post is this Kale Quinoa Salad (I often have it on hand as it lasts for days and days). Other great salads: Corn Salad with Avocado and Tomato, Roast Pumpkin Spinach Salad, a garden salad with Italian or French Dressing. 9. Nutrition assumes 1.2kg / 2.4lb of meat, remainder is bones discarded. Also assumes all pan juices are consumed which they probably won't be, also you lose some in the onion/garlic/discarded chicken.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Like a mohawk – gone wrong. (Aftermath of a knee operation he had back in May 2018 when this recipe was first published…)
You have done it again delicious
Nagi – you’re a genius! I always put a twist on anyone else’s recipes, but I’ll say this was a juicy, flavorful bird on our Thanksgiving table!
First, I used a 3.5 lb organic chicken, seasoned the giblets and neck, and placed them on top of the onions in the pan (they roast nicely). I wanted to go for a Thanksgiving flavor, so my combo of spices in the herb butter was sage, dill, thyme and garlic. On the outside I used a Herbes de Provence/onion powder blend. Another twist: I put a whole onion (sliced into wedges), the lemon, red peppers, and celery on the inside of the chicken. I swear it’s like the flavors permeate from the inside!
In the pan I use low-sodium organic chicken broth, and I don’t salt the bird AT ALL. You heard me correctly my salt-sensitive/hypertensive friends: if you use a salted butter, no need! You can always add salt to taste at the table but with all the flavor, you probably will not.
Lastly, I forgot the twine! No fear, I remember what my Abuela used to do: poke a hole in the longest piece of the fat parallel to the end of the drumsticks, then crisscross and tuck!
We’re away from family (2 of us + our pooch), so we’re still eating roast chicken on day 3, and I’m going to make chicken soup today with the bones.
I am looking for a recipe to make the day before. Will this work? Or do you recommend a different recipe! Btw, I love using your website! Thanks
Fantastic!!I’ve loosened the skin before, but using my hand. This was far more pleasant!
Divine recipe! It was fun to put together and the end result was a very moist and tasty chicken. This is a definite keeper. Loved it! Thx, Nagi!
Sorry! Forgot to give this recipe 5 stars!
Terrific recipe! Plain ol’ chicken breasts are transformed in just 18 mins in the oven. Didn’t know the trick of parchment on top of foil—meat didn’t stick, so thank you! I would not change a thing in this recipe!
This turned out amazing. I put small potatoes in the pan under the chicken and they were delicious
I used this recipe on our first home raised chicken and it was sooo delicious! Definitely a combo of the best chicken I’ve ever had (can’t go back to store bought now!) and a delicious sauce that we ate over the chicken along with some mashed potatoes. Definitely easy to do and will be added to a weekly rotation!!
Do you think I could use this method on chicken legs or leg quarters? It’s just two people eating, and I want the roasted taste without having to roast an entire chicken
Do it!! Leftover chicken is a great thing to have on hand!
I made this today and OH MY GOSH!!! My boyfriend and I absolutely loved it! It came out perfect, and will be great to have with different meals throughout the week. It was finger-lickin good! The meat was so tender and flavorful with the butter and stock. I didn’t have any wine on hand, so I just used chicken bouillon instead. I also didn’t tie the chicken or place it on anything, and it turned out fine. Absolutely fantastic recipe! Thanks so much!
Made this for dinner last night. Recipe is spot on. The taste was delicious. The colour a glorious dark golden. Yum.
Your recipes are amazing. They are my “go to” recipes every time without fail and I’ve been cooking for years!!
i am planning to make this for the first time this week. and am going to ask a question if i dont get an answer it is fine and i will try it my way anyways but i am allergic to onion so i am wondering if i can use something else like maybe potatoes to keep the chicken up instead of the onion? im definitely looking forward to making my first roast though im more interested in trying to make gravy for the first time but the chicken with it will be great.
Kim – there’s many veggies you can use! Celery (leave the stalk intact with the leaves – such flavor!), peppers (just halve them, place them like cups underneath to cradle the bird), carrots, or you could put potatoes underneath, too. Let me know how it turns out!
I followed to a T but found the Liliydale free-range chicken a bit tough. Frankly, I have had better results using a clay pot which leaves the bird far more than tender. Do you have a recipe for chicken baked in a clay pot?
Solid hit with my fam. They loved it. So delicious. Will definitely be using left over juices and chicken carcass in my next lot of bone broth. Yummo
I love to cook and try different recipes. I often tweak to make it my own but not always. I doubled the recipe due to the size of my chicken 8+ lbs and followed your cooking guide. OMG, this was so good! The smell lingering was that of home cooking comfort. Garlic, lemon, butter and wine, just yes! I do a lot of cooking, creating and this is a definite keeper, just as it is. Thank you!
I’m so delighted with this recipe!
I was taught a very simple but kinda dry and underwhelming roast chicken recipe to start with, and I never really dared to improve it because I thought it would be too hard for my mediocre cooking skills.
But this was so easy and om nom nom sooooo good! Flavour all the way through, crispy tasty skin and tender meat like yessssss, and the juices totally suffice as sauce (my gravy failed! but it didn’t matter because big yes to pan juices).
To repeat, I can’t even get over how easy it was to make an amazing roast chicken. Honestly excited to have this recipe to impress and satisfy people with.
This is the 4th time making roast chicken this way. Everyone loves it on our house. I always plan the next day to have left overs for lunch in toasties or sandwiches, unfortunately there is none left. I wonder if I’ll need two when my kids are teenagers 🤣
This was delicious and I don’t think I’ll cook a chicken any other way again. Thank you for another great recipe.