Easy Recipe For Roast Chicken

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Use this easy step-by-step recipe to make the perfect roast chicken with juicy meat and crispy skin. It is a comforting family favourite for a Sunday roast, as a centrepiece for a birthday dinner or any special occasion such as Christmas, Easter or Thanksgiving.

A whole roast chicken with vegetables on a baking tray.

Looking for the perfect sides to complement your roast chicken? Check out these delicious options that will elevate your meal:

Classic Sides: baked potato wedges with garlic and paprika, mashed potatoes, or buttery carrots are timeless choices that pair beautifully with roast chicken.
Grains: Try a side of quinoa, Lebanese rice and broken vermicelli, couscous or Turkish bulgur pilav for a nutritious addition.
Green Veggies: Roasted Brussels sprouts, asparagus, or sautéed green beans with garlic to add a fresh and colourful element to your plate.
Bread: Serve your roast chicken with a side of easy braided milk bread or an authentic Italian focaccia bread recipe.

Sunday Roast Favourites

What to do with leftovers? Use it to make chicken and bacon Caesar salad, or pide – Turkish flat bread/pizza or toss it into a baked potato frittata or 15-minute Chinese noodles.

💗 Why This Recipe Works

This Roast Chicken Recipe is a straightforward recipe with simple ingredients and a crispy golden goodness seasoned to perfection with herbs and spices. Perfect for a beginner or a seasoned cook, the result will always be the same: juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, a recipe you will want to make over and over again.

🥘 Ingredients

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Whole Chicken - Corn-fed, free range or organic would be ideal. The quality of the meat dramatically influences the taste of the overall dish.
Veggies - I have used a mix of red onions, carrots, zucchini, parsnips, eggplant, and red and yellow bell peppers for this specific recipe.
Chicken Seasoning - I used a blend of crushed garlic, olive oil, mustard, white wine, lemon juice, rosemary, sweet smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
Gravy - This gravy was made with chicken stock thickened with a bit of flour on medium heat.

♻️ Substitutions

Vegetables - I never stress when it comes to changing the veggies surrounding the chicken; I always use whatever I have in my pantry: replace carrots for parsnips, add chunks of fennel or sweet potatoes, or include other root vegetables for variety.
Herbs: You can replace rosemary with thyme, oregano, sage, or a mix of your favourite herbs.
Garlic: If fresh garlic is not at hand, use garlic powder instead.
Olive oil: Use butter instead of olive oil; you can add some under the skin for a more tender chicken.

📖 Variations

Mediterranean style: Mix olive oil, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, olives, garlic, and Italian herbs. Spread this mixture over the chicken before roasting for a Mediterranean twist.
Classic Herbs and Spices: A combination of olive oil, salt, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, sage, garlic powder or minced garlic, onion powder, and paprika (smoked or sweet).
Citrus and Soy Sauce Roast Chicken: Combine soy sauce, orange juice, grated ginger, and a hint of honey. Marinate the chicken in this mixture for a few hours before roasting it for a savoury and tangy dish.
Savoury Blends: Mix olive oil or melted butter, salt, pepper, and crushed garlic with one of these options:
- Herbes de Provence (a mix of thyme, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, and sometimes lavender)
- Poultry seasoning (a mix of sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, and nutmeg)
- Italian seasoning (a blend of oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, and marjoram)
Spice Rubs: Mix olive oil or melted butter with one of these pairings:
- Moroccan spice blend (cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, ginger, cayenne)
- Indian spice blend (cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder)
- Cajun seasoning (paprika, cayenne, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder)

Leftovers

Refrigeration: If you have leftovers from the roast chicken, place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with cling film. This process needs to be done within 2 hours of cooking. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Reheating: When reheating leftovers, use an oven, microwave or a skillet. They are great in various dishes like salads, sandwiches, wraps and stir-fries like rice, and noodles. Remove all the bones and you're good to go.

❓FAQs

Do you roast chicken in tin foil or not?

It's a matter of preference. If you want to have a juicier chicken and prevent the chicken from browning too much, then in the middle part of the cooking process, wrap the chicken with aluminium foil. Otherwise, roast your chicken without the foil; this way, you'll get a crispier and caramelised skin with a richer flavour.

How long does it take to cook a chicken?

The time it takes to roast a chicken depends on its size and the oven temperature. The bigger the chicken, the longer you'll need to have it in the oven. To ensure the chicken is cooked thoroughly and it's safe to eat, you can use a meat thermometer; the internal temperature should be at least 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the meat.
This is a general guideline for roast chicken cooking time per kilogram (kg) at various oven temperatures:

- Oven Temperature: 180°C (350°F)
1 kg: 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes
1.5 kg: 1 hour 15 minutes – 1 hour 30 minutes
2 kg: 1 hour 30 minutes – 1 hour 45 minutes
2.5 kg: 1 hour 45 minutes – 2 hours
3 kg: 2 hours – 2 hours 15 minutes

- Oven Temperature: 200°C (400°F)
1 kg: 45 minutes – 1 hour
1.5 kg: 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes
2 kg: 1 hour 15 minutes – 1 hour 30 minutes
2.5 kg: 1 hour 30 minutes – 1 hour 45 minutes
3 kg: 1 hour 45 minutes – 2 hours

How do you roast a chicken so it doesn’t dry?

Follow these steps for a juicy, tender and flavorful roast chicken. To roast a chicken without drying it out, start by rubbing your chicken with the spice mix, marinade the chicken for a few hours in the refrigerator, allow the chicken to reach room temperature before roasting, baste the chicken with the juices from the tray a couple of times while roasting and lastly, leave the chicken to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.

How can you make roast chicken gravy?

After roasting the chicken, pour the pan drippings into a measuring cup and skim off the excess fat. Place the roasting pan on medium heat, and add ¼ cup with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour while whisking continuously to form a smooth sauce.
Let the sauce cook for 2 minutes until golden, to eliminate any flour taste. Gradually add the rest of the chicken broth, whisk continuously and simmer until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper if needed.