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…)
Not once in this recipe or in all the “Hints” do you mention whether to cook covered or uncovered, part of the time, or all the time! Seems like a basic thing, but I didn’t know what to do!
This was delicious!! Thank you for the recipe. I will definitely make this again.
As a word of caution I would say to follow the amounts of herbs provided – if you’re tempted to add more (I did) it might turn out very “herby”.
This recipe is a keeper! Thank you!
Seriously could not stop eating, the liquid made the best gravy. This will be a weekly dinner. Thank you and thank you
question – after the initial 210° blast, could I cook it at 160° for a bit longer, as I’m sharing the oven with a pork shoulder that needs a lower temp? Thanks
This was delicious! I will definitely make again and it will be my new go to for a full chicken. YUM!
Who knew roast chicken could taste so good. Absolutely delicious, juicy and flavoursome, a hit with the family. Thank you.
I never review recipes (though I should). It’s the second time that I’m making this chicken recipe and it’s just AMAZING. It’s fool-proof, so don’t worry too much. Easy, simple and you’re right; this sauce is liquid gold. Thanks so much Nagi, this is the only way that I will roast chicken from now on.
This is an amazing recipe! The only thing I did differently is start the chicken breast side down for the first half of cooking, then flipped it to get some nice color on the breast side without drying it out. Came out delicious and my husband said it was the best chicken he’s ever had! Definitely a keeper!
I haven’t cooked a roast chicken in so many years! We won a meat tray with a whole chicken on it so looked for a recipe and so glad I found this one! So easy to follow and a video really helps too. Crispy skin and juicy tender meat on the inside. The family loved it! Thank you 🙏🏼
I most always buy thighs and drumsticks, But I eyed the chicken in the deep freeze. I’d planned to make your chicken soup recipe, and suddenly I had a craving for white meat. Everyone knows how to roast a chicken, but I was browsing recipes and found yours, It tickled my mind’s taste buds.
The flavor of the moist, tender breast with spoons full of butter sauce was beyond my mind; ‘s taste buds expected,
I put potatoes under mine which were delicious as were the onions,
I wish I could give you more stars. This is the only way I’ll roast a chicken from now on..
Thanks for a great idea of adding the potatoes! What a great idea,
Love this recipe! I have had trouble with my chicken not being cooked all the way through. The temperature and bake time are perfect and the butter, garlic, herb “sludge” makes this perfect. Will definitely follow this recipe from now on. Thanks Nagi!
Hello! Does this recipe work no skin chicken also?
Looks really good. Where is the gravy recipe?
I have made this twice and it turns out just wonderfully. It is very similar to what I used to make, but the addition of the herb butter is is very flavorful. Generally I used to butter and oil the skin, and add the rosemary to the cavity of the chicken, This is great flavour and a bit of a shortcut as well.
This was the BEST Roast Chicken I have ever had. Mine always came out dry and tough. This recipe is so moist and tasty. So simply and easy to do. Thankyou Nagi !!
This roast chicken recipe is amazing. Enough said!!! This is the first time I’ve roasted a whole chicken and the result was nothing short of perfection! Crispy outside and juicy inside! I roughly measured the ingredients and it was quite a sloppy job to be honest but I follow the instructions and didn’t miss on anything. I didn’t have sage so I didn’t use it and I only had dried rosemary and used that in place of where you used the fresh ones. So so so good. The whole chicken left the chat in five minutes. It is also very quick to prepare!! Thanks again! Will try more of your recipes !!
I don’t normally comment on recipes but this was delicious. Family and friends all commented on it. Chook was 2kg . Had no sage or parsley. Added tiny bit of basil as well. Used nutlex rather than butter. Will cook again. Best chook I have cooked Thankyou.
Great Recipe!🙏🏾 Even with a few minor substitutions, the chicken was awesome. 👏 The family enjoyed it in many different ways. ❤️
My intention is to follow the recipe entirely then share that experience. 👍 Happy Eating.
SO GOOD
This recipe was amazing. I don’t often cook a roast but I think this will become a family favourite!
Wow! I cooked this recipe for dinner tonight. Not only is it easy to prepare, my kitchen smelled divine and my family raved about the moist and delicious chicken meal. This is a chicken winner and I will be making this one at least once a month. Company worthy, for sure!