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…)
Hi, can i cook this in the slow cooker? Looks delicious
I’ve made this twice now and it is now the official go to Roast Chicken receipt in my family! Thanks so much, this was amazing 🙂
Hi do you have any suggestions for doing some ir all of this ahead of time? I’m doing 3 chickens (!) and there is no way I’d get that done just before dinner time.
Hi Marianne, you could prepare these ahead with the butter and refrigerate, it will Harden on the chook but you could scrape off any that falls off. You can then cook the chickens together! I hope you enjoy it! N x
Thank you!
YUM! I made this yesterday for lunch and is the best roast chicken I’ve ever had. I picked up a small organic chicken for a bargain from Coles (only $6) and when I added up all the ingredients I use it’s cheaper than getting one of their roast chooks and so much yummier. I used dried herbs for the butter mix – tsp of oregano and thyme. and had some rosemary sprigs that i popped inside the chook. Video was very handy to work out how to do everything! And I served it with a tray of roast veggies (cauli, broc, red cabbage, zucchini & green beans) and some roasted potatoes with rosemary (had to keep using that rosemary haha). Sensational! Thanks Nagi for always keeping our house well fed x
I’m so glad you loved it Cassie!
I really liked the butter, garlic and herb drizzle. No muss, no fuss. Very moist and flavourful!
That’s so great to hear Chris! Thanks for sharing your feedback – N x
…should add, I’ve been cooking for over 55 years. To say this is the best roasted chicken recipe I’ve tried covers a lot of ground!
Made this tonight. Bought a D’Artagnan Organic Chicken from Costco and wanted just the right recipe. I knew you would have the perfect one. Wish I could include a photo!
It was the best tasting, juiciest roast chicken I have ever cooked. Thank you!!!
Aww!!! Rhonda, I honestly can’t tell you how happy to makes me to hear that, knowing you are such an experience cook! Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback 🙂 N x
This is going to be my “go to” roast chicken from now on! Just plain delicious!
That’s so great to hear Denise! Thanks for sharing your feedback – N x
I’ve never roasted a chicken before, but boldly decided to do it for our Thanksgiving dinner last night for my picky kids and even pickier parents and it turned out amazing! Even the white meat was so juicy! This will definitely be a go-to recipe for me. And the quick video was a tremendous help. Thank you!
So pleased you enjoyed this Genevieve! Thanks for letting me know! N x
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! In fact, we are going to eat it in place of our Thanksgiving turkey. Quick question…..can I roast 2 chickens at a time? Would it change the roasting time? Thanks for sharing! Its definitely a favorite of mine.
So glad you love this Mandi! It will take anywhere between 10 to 20 minutes longer to roast 2 at the same time, depends on the size of your oven. Happy Thanksgiving! N x
Just made your roasted chicken recipe, it came out fantastic. Thank you
Awesome!!! Glad you enjoyed this Robert! N x ❤️
Nagi hi, I am a big follower to your recipes. I am A Greek-Cypriot and we love a lot the lemony taste in food. Try around 2 kilos shoulder lamb with potatoe cubes in a pan, squeeze on top 3 big lemons, sprinkle 1 TBSP dry oregano, 2 TBSP sea salt and black pepper. cover it and bake it at the begining to 200 Celsius and then 180 for 2 hours, then uncover for half hour to get a nice color. This is Mediterranean Greek food. Xxx
Sounds Great Isabella!!
Around 2 kilos shoulder lamb with bone. Xxx
Wow made this chicken as a Sunday lunch was amazing. I will only make chicken like this from now on!! #amazing idea to spice it beneath the skin, so juicy
That’s great to hear Chanelle! Thanks for letting me know! N x
I made this tonight! My husband and I scarfed it down. So delicious and flavorful. I made it with some potatoe salad. Just added it to my recipe list.
Hi Nagi! you are a genius! I tried this recipe last night along with your wanton soup recipe ( I know not a good companion, but what do you do if you don’t have any other ingredients at home :)). I must say this is the first time in last 18 years( since I began cooking) I made a chicken roast that tastes good. I am proud to say I have no left overs from both recipes. I can’t wait to try the recipe again. I placed yellow pepper, carrots, red onion, mushroom and zucchini in stead of the garlic for the chicken to sit on! Thank you Nagi. You have a loyal follower here 🙂
Cooked this chicken tonight and it was
beautiful, full of flavour and really moist,
thanks again Nagi for yet another wonderful and simple recipe 😃
I’m so pleased to hear that Fiona! I’m very fond of this recipe so it makes me really happy when I hear others have enjoyed it too! N x
This looks delicious and a recipe that would be great with a thanksgiving turkey.
YES! I’ve actually shared the turkey breast version of this – it’s SO CRAZY GOOD!!!! 🙂 N x
I made this tonight – so delicious. The pan juices were incredible! Thanks for sharing such clear and tasty recipes.
Hi, how much salt do you add to a 4lb chicken? If you use 1/2 tsp for the butter mixture, should I put about 3 1/2 tsps. of salt n the outside?
HI Jen! For a chicken that size use the ingredients per the recipe 🙂
Nagi – have you got a video somewhere on how to cut & serve a whole roast chicken?
It is cooking now. My home smells like heaven. When done I am transporting it in the cookpot to another place for dinner. I already know the smell in the car will drive me mad! Won’t be doing gravy but the juices will be very well used. But oh, my, goodness, it smells so divine in here.
Ba ha ha I can relate! driving with freshly made delicious food is TORTURE! 😂