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! 🙂
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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…)
Amanda L Roberts says
I made this several months ago and LOVED IT more than once, but since having my third baby, have found making freezer meals much more practical as a working mom. Do you think this would freeze well prepped with garlic butter under the skin?
Nagi says
Yes definitely Amanda! What a great idea!
Kae says
Wow, wow, wow!! Absolutely amazing! Sooooo tasty and the only way I will ever make roast chicken again! Your recipes are wonderful and I really appreciate your notes and videos. Very helpful. Thank you, Nagi!
Nagi says
Thank you SO much Kae!
Kim Rogers says
This was absolutely delicious! I didn’t think I could do it but it worked out so yummy. Thank you!
Nagi says
You’re so welcome Kim!
Arlene says
Uh oh! Even tho I watched the video and read instructions on dried herbs, I think I royally screwed up. 1 Tbsp dried sage! Yikes! Oh well…learning curve. You would think I would know better being 66 yo.
Nagi says
Hi Arlene, the herb quantities are fresh (as it states finely chopped) if you want to sub dried – you can use 2-3 tsp in total of the dried herbs 🙂
Andrea says
Hi! Do you cook entire time without cover? I think I might have missed that part somewhere! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Nagi says
Hi Andrea, no need to cover 🙂
Nancie says
Hey Nagi! Absolutely love all your recipes & this chicken looks amazing! I plan on making this for a date soon. I would like to add carrots & baby red potatoes. Would I just add both of those 40 minutes prior to the chicken being finished? Thanks for the recipe!
Nagi says
Hi Nancie, yes you can definitely do that! I hope you love it – N x
George Barber says
Without doubt the tastiest roast chicken ever, I’ve cooked this for Sunday lunch multiple times now and it always turns out bursting with flavour and perfectly roasted – thank you Nagi!
Nagi says
WOOT! Perfect George!
Barb says
I have never been able to roast a chicken. It would always come out so dry but thank goodness I discovered this web page. It was so easy and the chicken was amazing.
Nagi says
I’m so glad you loved it Barb!!
Mary Hayles says
Best roast chicken ever, so juicy and gravy was delicious. Family loved it. Have tried many of your recipes and all fantastic. You’ve made cooking fun again! Thank you Nagi
Nagi says
That’s awesome to hear, thanks so much Mary ❤️
Jill says
Just roasted 2 chickens so juicy and delicious going to make broth and your chicken noodle soup!
Thanks for another great recipe
Nagi says
Perfect Jill!!! Enjoy ❤️
Kay says
THE BEST taste combo ever! I love how you flavour the chicken. Tried it the first time today and I wished I could slurp the juice to the last drop (yes, it is THAT GOOD!). I didn’t have sage and I don’t drink alcohol so those didn’t go into the recipe.
My husband ate 3/4 of the chicken and ditched his instant gravy.
Definitely in my collection! Thank you!
Nagi says
I’m so glad you loved it Kay!! – N x
Fin says
Liked the flavors here! I brined my chicken before roasting so it was for sure moist.
Nagi says
Sounds amazing Fin!
Janelle Abbott says
Hi Just wondering if I could cook 2 roast chicken 2kg in the same pan and the cooking times will be the same?
Nagi says
Hi Janelle, sure can – cook time will be the same!
Kate says
This is SO GOOD. The way you presented the information was so user-friendly. Though I love cooking, I had somehow never tried roasting a bird before. This came out so well and I can’t wait to do it more. I love the flavour profile and the clarity with which you presented the steps. Thank you!
Nagi says
I’m so glad you loved it Kate, thanks so much for letting me know!
Barbara Phoenix says
Awesome recipe Nagi! I don’t ever leave comments but this is the 2nd recipe I’ve tried from your collection and just wanted to say thank you! Didn’t change a thing, perfect!! Great flavor, so moist!
Donna says
My whole family loves this recipe for roast chicken. So easy too make and so tasty and moist. My new go to!
And it’s so easy to make a broth with the carcass using your notes.
Thanks so much!
Drew says
Wow, Thanks so much for this tasty, tasty recipe. Roast Chicken is not a good enough name. My wife calls this “Death Row Chicken”!
Mariana says
I absolutely love this recipe. Not only is it simple, using ingredients I had available, it was easy to assemble and tasted incredible. I added some veggies underneath the chook and they roasted gorgeously over the hour and a half in the oven. I also dashed a tiny bit of peri peri spice on the skin. Thank you for the recipe! This is my go-to from now on!
Nagi says
Sounds like you nailed it Mariana! I love the addition of the Peri Peri!
Alison says
I just made this for dinner and I truly believe it is the best chicken I have ever cooked. So juicy and so tasty. This very simple recipe was easy to follow and following the instructions for roasting time it was cooked to perfection! Thank you so much, this recipe will be on heavy rotation in my family!
Nagi says
Woah what a great compliment Alison!!
Valerie Mabry says
I love the roast chicken. You knocked it out the park with this recipe! Could I add small potatoes around the chicken to roast, also?
Nagi says
Sure could Valerie!