Simple Roasted Whole Chicken

This roasted whole chicken is simple, wholesome, and delicious. I love making this for my family in the spring — when the weather isn’t scorching hot yet and I don’t mind turning on the oven. It’s the perfect Sunday evening meal when you want something that feels special but doesn’t take a huge amount of effort.

With grocery prices higher than ever, this dish is also easy on the wallet. I can usually grab a whole chicken (around 5-6 lbs) for less than $10. Paired with a couple of sides, it’s enough to feed a family of four. I love pairing this with broiled asparagus, roasted potatoes, or any flavor of Vigo rice.

The trick to achieving a crispy, seasoned skin is to choose a smaller bird and roast it at a higher temp. A five-pound bird will easily feed a family of four — or two people with leftovers (yay for leftovers!). If you are cooking for more people, it’s quicker and easier to roast two small birds rather than one larger one.

For this recipe, a digital thermometer is your friend! If you don’t have one in your kitchen toolbox yet, I have linked one below that I absolutely love (affiliate link), but any brand will do!

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Yield 4

Author Bridget Olson

Prep time

10 Min

Cook time

1 H & 20 M

Inactive time

10 Min

Total time

1 H & 40 M

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Simple Roasted Whole Chicken

A simple roasted whole chicken for when you want to make something that feels special but doesn't require a ton of effort. The perfect Sunday family dinner!

Ingredients

• 1 (5 lb.) whole chicken
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Ensure the convection setting is turned OFF. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet tray.
2. Pour olive oil into a small bowl. Mix together salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a separate small bowl (this step is really helpful so you don't have to wash your hands several times while preparing the bird).
3. Place chicken on a plate or colander set in the sink. Use kitchen scissors to cut away the plastic packaging. Drain the excess juices. No need to rinse! Remove the giblets if any.
4. Place chicken on the baking tray (you can also place giblets on the tray if desired - I usually cook the giblets for my dogs). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub the whole chicken with olive oil, then the seasonings. Wash hands!
5. Roast chicken in the oven for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a digital thermometer inserted into the thigh reaches at least 175 F (you want the thigh meat to reach the 175-185 F range to ensure there is no pink around the bone).
6. After roasting, let the bird rest for about 10-15 minutes before carving.

Notes

• If you are cooking for more than four people, it’s quicker and easier to roast two small birds rather than one larger one.
• Turning the convection function off is important because the convection fan blows the rendered chicken fat around the oven. When the fat hits the sides of the oven, it creates smoke.
• The USDA minimum internal temperature for chicken is listed as 165 F. However, I find that the dark meat (thighs and wings) needs to reach a higher temp in order to be fully cooked through with no pink left.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

441.72

Fat

32.18 g

Sat. Fat

8.69 g

Carbs

0.3 g

Fiber

0.05 g

Net carbs

0.26 g

Sugar

0.01 g

Protein

35.48 g

Sodium

714.99 mg

Cholesterol

142.83 mg

https://thesunnypalate.com/home/2023/4/10/simple-roasted-whole-chicken

chicken, whole, roasted, dinner

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