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!)
- Thomas Kellers’ Brine for Chicken
- Coconut Pot Roasted Chicken
- 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
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…)
I started at 350 and roasted uncovered for an hour. Just took it out to baste it and all the liquid was gone. I added more, basted with butter, and put back in oven at 325. I just don’t understand why it goes so dry when I leave it uncovered. Chicken should be easy.. waaagh 🙁
Hi Nagi! I woul just like to Thank you for all your recipes! This one was a bomb! My husband love it that we both finish the whole chicken !
I have been following you on IG and will always recomment your page to friends.
Much love this holiday season❤
Thats great Maf!
Hi! I plan to brine my chicken overnight using your method. After brining, can I cook the chicken using this recipe or should I change anything?
Sure can Nina! I would just omit the salt from the butter mix and just sprinkle a little on the skin – N x
Super excited to try this recipe this weekend! If I am cooking the chicken on a bed of baby potatoes, should I still add the cup of white wine? Does it evaporate or will it make the potatoes soggy? Thanks!
Hi Erica, I prefer my potatoes crispy so would keep them in a separate pan so you can keep the liquid around the base of the chicken – N x
Do I need to cover it while cooking?
Hi Ben, no need to cover 🙂
Delicious!! Will make it again. Both chicken and gravy were husband approved as well.
Winner winner chicken dinner!
More work than I normally put into roasting a chicken but it was worth the effort. I’d quadruple the halved garlic bulbs next time as everyone here loves roasted garlic.
In an unfortunate spasm of generosity, I gave the leftovers to our guest.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Sharon!!
Seriously, the best roast chicken recipe I’ve ever come across and tasted.
Woot!!! Thanks so much Stephen!
yummy chickem
Thanks Vanessa!
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?
Yes definitely Amanda! What a great idea!
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!
Thank you SO much Kae!
This was absolutely delicious! I didn’t think I could do it but it worked out so yummy. Thank you!
You’re so welcome Kim!
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.
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 🙂
Hi! Do you cook entire time without cover? I think I might have missed that part somewhere! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Hi Andrea, no need to cover 🙂
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!
Hi Nancie, yes you can definitely do that! I hope you love it – N x
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!
WOOT! Perfect George!
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.
I’m so glad you loved it Barb!!
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
That’s awesome to hear, thanks so much Mary ❤️
Just roasted 2 chickens so juicy and delicious going to make broth and your chicken noodle soup!
Thanks for another great recipe
Perfect Jill!!! Enjoy ❤️
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!
I’m so glad you loved it Kay!! – N x