The Best Roasted Chicken
This Whole Roasted Chicken recipe is simple, comforting, and so delicious. All you need are a few ingredients and a little time to make perfectly juicy, tender, and flavorful roasted chicken every single time.
Ingredients
- 1 largecarrot, halved lengthwise and cut into thirds
- 1stalk celery, cut into large thirds
- 14 pound whole chicken, giblets removed and patted dry
- ¼ cupunsalted butter, melted
- 3 clovesgarlic, finely minced
- ½ teaspoonfresh thyme
- ½ teaspoongrated lemon zest
- 3 tablespoonsolive oil
- salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 headgarlic, top sliced off
- ½yellow onion, cut into 2 large pieces
- 1lemon, cut in half
- 4 sprigsfresh thyme
Directions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- 2
To a small mixing bowl add the melted butter, garlic, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, and a generous pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper.
- 3
Place the celery and carrots in a cast iron and skillet. Use a paper towel to pat the chicken dry and then place the chicken on top of the veggies, breast side up.
- 4
Rub the melted butter mixture under the skin of the chicken as well as inside the cavity of the chicken, being sure to use all of the butter.
- 5
Stuff the chicken cavity with the head of garlic, pieces of yellow onion, lemon, and fresh thyme. If you like, use a bit of kitchen twine to tie the drumsticks.
- 6
Drizzle the olive oil over the skin of the chicken and then use a basting brush to ensure that the skin is well coated with oil. Liberally season the chicken with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
- 7
Place the chicken in the oven, on the middle rack, and roast for 1 hour and 15-30 minutes, basting every 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature, at the thickest part, reaches 165 degrees.
- 8
Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes in the skillet.
- 9
Carve the chicken and serve with the pan drippings or reserve the pan drippings to make homemade chicken gravy.