This easy Whole Roast Chicken Recipe is cooked to crispy-skin perfection in a Dutch Oven with Lemon, Garlic, and Rosemary Butter slathered on every bite! Add potatoes to the bottom of the pan and you’ve got yourself a complete, one-pot meal.
This is my favorite recipe for roast chicken. Cooking it in a dutch oven ensures the chicken is moist and flavorful, but still gets that awesome golden-brown, crispy skin.
Here’s what I LOVE about this roast chicken recipe:
- It uses only five ingredients (assuming you already have butter, salt, and pepper);
- The flavor combination of lemon, garlic, and rosemary creates amazing flavor;
- There is no waste– the lemon zest, juice, and rinds are used, as well as the onion, garlic, and rosemary scraps;
- While it takes a while to roast in the oven, the prep time is only 10-15 minutes!
- You can add potatoes to the bottom of the pan to cook and soak up all those delicious juices while the chicken roasts for an easy one-pot meal. YUM!
And the other thing? A whole roast chicken is a foolproof way to impress people. This recipe comes out gorgeous every time, and it’s perfect for a dinner party or date but also easy enough to make for your family on a whim.
Tips for making the BEST Whole Roast Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry. This will help the skin crisp up to perfection.
- Season the cavity. Add a LOT of salt and pepper inside, and stuff it with the lemon rinds, rosemary sprigs and stems, garlic scraps, and onion scraps. This will help keep it moist and flavor it from the inside out.
- Add the butter mixture under AND over the breast skin. Use your hands for this (then give them a good wash). It’s important to spread the mixture liberally over the entire chicken (every nook and cranny). In addition, I separate the skin from the top of the breast and spread some of the butter underneath, being careful not to tear the skin (intact skin helps the meat stay moist since it keeps the juices in). This creates extra crispy skin and helps flavor the meat better.
- Truss the chicken. Not in a complicated way- I just tie the legs tightly together using kitchen twine. This helps keep everything nice and neat and compact for even, consistent cooking. If the legs splay out too much, they will cook too quickly, causing them to become dry.
- Roast high, then low. Roast the chicken at 475 for 15 minutes- this gets the crispy skin process going. Then, turn the heat down and roast at 350 for approximately 20 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees (I stick my meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast as far as it will go, then retract it just a little so it’s not touching the bone. It won’t read accurately if it is touching a bone)
- Let it sit for at least 10 minutes when it’s done. This will ensure that a) the chicken isn’t too hot to handle when you carve it, and b) that the juices have a chance to redistribute. If you cut into it too quickly, the juices will escape too fast and the chicken will become dry.
Roasting a Whole Chicken in your Dutch Oven
I have a blue Cuisinart Classic Enameled Cast Iron 5-1/2-Quart Oval dutch oven, which I LOVE and HIGHLY recommend. Conveniently, it perfectly fits a chicken, and because it gets so hot on the sides , it helps roast it evenly on all sides of the chicken for awesomely crispy skin.
Here are some tips to roasting a whole chicken in your dutch oven:
- Layer onions and potatoes (or another root veggie) on the bottom so you have a complete meal. The veggies will soak up all the juices as it cooks.
- Keep the cover off when roasting. If the skin browns too quickly on top, you can place the cover on ajar on top to help avoid direct hot heat, or tent it with foil if the cover doesn’t fit/the chicken is too tall.
By the way… a Dutch Oven is also an amazing thing to bake crusty, no knead artisan bread in!
If you don’t have a Dutch Oven…
You can easily make this recipe in a large casserole dish or roasting pan using the same method!
Or, you can use your slow cooker. Just keep in mind, you won’t have any crispy skin if you do this. Slather the chicken in the butter mixture, and set on top of onions (and potatoes, if you want) in your slow cooker. Cook for 4 hours on high. (more on how to cook a whole chicken in your slow cooker)
You may also be interested in another one-pan chicken recipe: Spiced Chicken and Rice with Apples and Raisins. YUM.
Don’t throw the chicken bones/carcass out!
Make homemade chicken stock with them. Just store the carcass/bones in your freezer in an airtight bag or container until you’re ready to make it!
Recipes to make with leftover roast chicken:
- Easy Chicken and Dumplings from Scratch
- Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts
- Avgolemono (Greek Chicken Soup with Lemon)
- Cobb Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- Healthy 20-Minute Chicken and Mushroom Stroganoff
- Chicken and Corn Enchilada Casserole
- BBQ Chicken Naan Pizza
And check out these other easy recipes you can make in a dutch oven from Pinch of Yum!
Did you make this Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken? Please comment below and Rate this Recipe
Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken about 4-5 lbs.
- 2 lemons
- 5 cloves garlic 3 minced, 2 cut in half
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary 3 finely chopped, 1 left whole
- 2 large onions halved and thickly sliced, end scraps reserved
- 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
- kosher salt see notes
- black pepper see notes
- 1.5 lbs. potatoes cut into 1" pieces, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
- Melt butter (4 tablespoons) in small bowl (I used my Pyrex measuring cup); add minced garlic (3 cloves), chopped rosemary (from 3 sprigs, about 2 tablespoons), the zest of the two lemons, and plenty of kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Place the onions in bottom of enameled cast iron dutch oven. Reserve the end scraps. If using potatoes, add them on top of the onions.
- Prepare chicken by removing giblets from cavity and patting dry with paper towels.
- Liberally season the cavity with salt and pepper. LIBERALLY.
- Cut the zested lemons in half; reserve juice and save rinds.
- The butter mixture will have hardened slightly by now. Using your hands, slather the mixture liberally over every part of the chicken and under the breast skin (being careful not to tear the skin).
- Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the lemon rinds, onion scraps, remaining 2 garlic cloves, and rosemary sprig/stems. Place in dutch oven on top of sliced onions and potatoes, if using.
- Tie the legs of the chicken together tightly using kitchen twine.
- Pour reserved lemon juice over the chicken.
- Roast chicken UNCOVERED for 15 minutes at 475, then reduce heat to 350 and cook STILL UNCOVERED for approximately 20 minutes PER POUND, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees (about 1.5 hours for a 4.5 lb. chicken). The chicken should be uncovered the entire time it cooks, unless it seems like it's burning (see notes).
- Allow the chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.
Notes
- Basting: If you want to, baste the chicken approximately halfway through cooking process. You don't have to.
- Salt and pepper: You want to salt and pepper liberally- I’d say at least 1 tablespoon of kosher salt for a 4ish lb. bird (up to 2 tablespoons, if you have a larger chicken that’s more like 8 lbs.). Pepper you can do to your taste- it will give it a nice kick if you use a lot (around 2 teaspoons) but you can definitely get away with only 1/2 teaspoon.
- If chicken is burning: you should cook the chicken uncovered in the dutch oven, but if it starts to burn on top and the internal temperature is not high enough yet, you can place the lid on ajar to avoid direct heat and prevent further burning. Or, you can tent it with foil on top.
- Other vegetables: You can add carrots or other root veggies, that take a long time to cook, in the bottom of the pan in place of or in addition to the potatoes. Note: I actually prefer to roast my potatoes/veggies separately because they get more browned, but it's super convenient to cook them in the same pot!
- Slow cooker instructions: Place sliced onions in bottom of large slow cooker. Prepare chicken as directed above. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 4-5, until the chicken is falling off the bone. (this method will not make crispy skin, but will still be delicious!
- Make it paleo/dairy free/Whole30: Use olive oil or ghee instead of butter.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
- If you are sensitive to lemon flavor, you may want to use only 1 lemon. Same goes for if you are using extremely large or juicy lemons. Some readers have commented that the flavor is too lemony. I LOVE a really lemony chicken but no harm in cutting the amount in half if that's not your thing!
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
This recipe first appeared on Bowl of Delicious as “Lemon, Garlic, and Rosemary Whole Roast Chicken.” It has been updated with new photographs, clearer instructions, and the option of adding potatoes based on suggestions from reader comments.
Ashley
Just made this last night! I don’t have a Dutch oven, just a regular casserole dish worked fine! It was definitely a hit for the husband and I. One of the most flavorful chickens I have ever had! It made the house smell so good while it was cooking, and making the husband eagerly wait. I will for sure make this again and again!
Sabrina
Hi everyone! I made this chicken roast last night and it turned out delicious! The crust was crispy and the chicken had great flavor. The only downfall I would say is my chicken came out a little dry and I wish it could’ve been more juicer and a little bit more flavorful. I followed the recipe exact and added my own side dishes including corn, green beans and mashed potatoes. Thank you for posting this yummy recipe! I would recommend to anyone!!
Elizabeth
Thank you so much Sabrina!! Glad you liked it :)
Alicia
What if I don’t have Rosemary?!
Elizabeth
That’s ok! You can substitute another herb (fresh thyme would be delicious, or something dried, like oregano or thyme). And honestly you can just leave it out- plenty of roast chicken recipes require only salt and pepper for seasonings.
Alicia
Great! One more question in the bottom of the pan should we add any water or will the chicken create its own juice?
Elizabeth
It will create it’s own juice. While it’s baking, if for some reason it looks like it’s not, you can add some, but it should be fine!
pat r
I was trying to figure out what to do with the chicken then came upon this recipe.if it tastes half as good as it looks and smells right now, then i will be a happy fellow. Will let you know how it turned out.
Elizabeth
The smell of it is almost as good as actually eating it! Hope it comes out great! :-)
Pat R
Well I just finished eating and have to say was pretty good, but the next time I’might ad a few more spices and more garlic. But over all a very delicious dish.
Elizabeth
I’m all about adding more spices than recipes usually call for :-) Thanks for coming back and letting me know!
Nathalie
Oooh this recipe sounds AMAZING! I bought a dutch oven last night and can’t wait to break it in. I plan on making this recipe this weekend. Since I’ve never cooked in a dutch oven before, would you recommend putting small red potatoes into this recipe? If so, at what point in the cooking process do you toss them in?
Thanks! – Nathalie
Elizabeth
Thanks, Nathalie! I hope you like it! And congrats on your dutch oven purchase. You won’t regret it :-) Hmm… I’ve never put potatoes in this but I love that idea for a full and complete meal! But since potatoes take a while to roast and it’s hard to overcook them, I think you can put them in at the very beginning. Put them in surrounding the chicken and they should be fine! Just make sure that there aren’t TOO many potatoes- otherwise it will be mushy if they are layered on top of each other too much. Here’s a recipe that roasts both at the same time. Hope that helps! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/lemon-and-herb-roasted-chicken-with-baby-potatoes-recipe.html
Kristen
This was so-so-so delicious. I used a meat injector to get the melted butter under the skin and in the chicken. My husband is a meat snob – hahaha – but, it’s true. My husband always takes care of any meat we eat because it has to be done just right. He forgot to prepare our chicken for dinner so it was up to me to take it on. I was sure nervous I would mess it up! I’m pretty sure it was through the entire meal he was groaning – mmm – mmmm (have you ever seen What About Bob? Yeah, it reminded me of that one scene). He kept picking at it so I had to take it away and hide it because I wanted to try another of your recipes with the leftovers. Thank you for an amazing recipe and for helping me impress my husband :)
Elizabeth
I’m so happy you and your husband liked it!! Thanks for leaving the comment :)
Raul de Brigard
This recommendation is based on my doing a very similar roast chicken for years, using EVERYTHING.Try this.
Don´t put the carcass in the fridge to make the broth. Instead, put out a 3-quart saucepan on your counter right- a-way. Gizzards etc. go right in there when you prepare the chicken. Then when you clean up at the end of the meal, debone the chicken left-overs and put in ALL the bones (even those on people’s plates) in there, as well as the inedible wing-tips, and any skin or cartilage that you can find (that adds to the taste). (Don’t worry: cooking will disinfect everything). Add a carrot and celery, but that can be postponed if in a hurry. Fill saucepan with water and bring, covered, to a boil, and continue cooking on low heat for 2 hours or so (if is a hurry leave covered on stove after boiling and resume the long-term cooking the following morning). When you are done, pour the hot liquid out of the saucepan into plastic quart containers, and here is the trick: add a cup or two of fresh water back into your boned-filed saucepan, stir very thoroughly as you return this mixture to a boil, then pour out this new liquid into your broth containers. Do this twice. The idea is to transfer into your broth a lot of nutritious gelatin that otherwise is left stuck to the bones. Once this is done, discard the fully drained bones, and cap and chill the containers of broth. Once cooled, all fat will have risen to the top and hardened, so it can be easily removed before you use the broth. Your broth, done this way, is fat free and aos lots of gelatin, which, when warmed, gives it that seemingly rich sticky flavor that is so good in soups, rice, etc.. For a more concentrated chicken flavor, reduce it on top of the stove by 30%.
Elizabeth
What amazing advice!! Thanks so much for sharing. I will certainly try this next time I make this!
Raul
…. and your lemon-garlic-rosemary dressing was a great success!
r
hello,
My oven is broken. I have an older Revere Ware stainless steel Dutch Oven. I am looking for directions on how to cook chicken on top of the stove, over a burner. It has a thicker copper bottom than the newer Revere Ware has. Do you have any suggestions ?
Do you think I could make your recipe in a Revere Ware stainless Dutch Oven ?
thank you.
Elizabeth
Hello! I’ve never cooked a whole chicken on the stovetop, but it looks like it can be done! This recipe explains how to do it. You can use the same method I did with the lemon, garlic, rosemary, and butter, and then cook it according to these directions. Let me know how it comes out- I’m curious! :-) http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/angelas-stovetop-chicken
Barry (CowboyPoetWannabe)
Hi Elizabeth,
I was looking for a recipe for Dutch oven chicken and yours looks most promising! But in reading through it, one thing stood out to me…those aren’t kidneys in the giblets discussion, it’s a gizzard.
Here’s an interesting article on “Vikki”…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gizzard
Elizabeth
Barry, thanks SO much for that catch! I updated the post :-)
Lisa Christy
made this for dinner tonight, it was so yummy! Roasted the chicken on a bed of red potatoes and carrots, one dish meal!
Elizabeth
I’m so glad you liked it! I love the idea of making it a one dish meal with the veggies… I’ll have to try that next time :)
Rodaro
How big did you cut the potatoes and carrots and you put them under the chicken or around it ? Thanks :)
Lisa Christy
I used whole baby carrots and red potatoes that I cut into quarters. I put them under the chicken so they absorbed all the juices from the chicken! So yummy!
Roda
Thanks ! I am making this tonight for the first time ever ! Hope it comes up good ?
Linda
This looks great Elizabeth. My chicken is being thawed out now and looking forward to making this for dinner tonight. Will let you know how I do:)
Laura
Hi, thanks for such a great recipe! Our chicken turned out great and our kiddos loved it! I am going to attempt to make some broth now!
Elizabeth
So glad you and your family liked it!! :)
Tziva
I want to try to modify this recipe to work with breasts/thighs rather than a whole chicken – how would you modify cook times?
Elizabeth
Good idea! I may do that myself next time :-) If you have bone-in breasts/thighs, it will take longer to cook- my guess is about 40-45 minutes. If they are boneless, it will take more like 30-35 minutes. To be sure, maybe use a meat thermometer in the thickest piece until the internal temp is 165 F. Or, you can just cut into the meat when you think it’s done and see if the juices run clear (I do this all the time). Hope this helps!
Tziva
Thank you! I’m anxious to try it this week!
G
Any thoughts of if you just do chicken legs?
Elizabeth
I’ve always found that chicken legs take longer than you think to cook them, probably because of the bone, and because dark meat takes longer than white meat to be done!
Looks like at 400 degrees, it will take 35-40 minutes (this is a great resource I found from Better Homes and Gardens: http://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/cooking-basics/how-to-oven-bake-chicken-legs/).
sgasz
I received a enamel coated dutch oven for christmas and was so excited to use it. I broke it in tonight with your receipe. It was unbelievably good and was a huge hit with my boyfriend. I am so excited to make this again for a dinner party I’m having. Its really going to blow their socks off! Thank you for sharing!
Elizabeth
Hooray!! I’m so happy you and your boyfriend liked it. Thanks for coming back and letting me know :-) Have fun at the dinner party!
sj
Thanks Elizabeth. I will try two lemons.
Also, what is the measurement for one stick of butter? I’m from canada and our ‘sticks’ are 2cups in size. Guessing that is not what you mean?
Amy
In the States a stick of butter is a quarter of a pound= 8 tablespoons= 1/2 cup.
Patty
Hi, I’m a relatively new cook so this sounds like something I might actually be able to make! One question – what do I do with the onions and chicken drippings that are under the chicken in the Dutch oven after it’s done cooking? Thx again, hoping to try making this this weekend!
Elizabeth
Hi Patty- that’s a great question! I usually make gravy out of the drippings :-) But, you can just toss them if you want to!
To make about 2 cups of gravy- After removing the chicken, strain the drippings so that the onions and pieces are gone (toss these). Allow the drippings to sit for a little bit- this will allow the fat to separate and sit on top. In a pot, heat 3 tablespoons of the fat. Add three tablespoons of flour and continue heating, whisking/stirring together constantly. Heat for 1-2 minutes, then whisk in 2 cups of chicken broth and the rest of the drippings (minus the remaining fat- this can be tossed or saved for another purpose!).
One more thing- if you don’t have 3 tablespoons of fat from the drippings, you can substitute butter. Or, just make less gravy!
Hope this helps! Good luck, and let me know if you run into any other problems or questions! :-)
sj
Hi there!
I am wondering if this recipe will turn out okay in a regular Pyrex pan. I don’t have a Dutch oven . :(
sj
Also – how strong is the lemon flavor? I want just a subtle flavor… should I use only one lemon?
Elizabeth
Hello! It will absolutely turn out OK in a regular Pyrex pan. If the outside of the chicken starts to cook too much before the internal temperature of the chicken reaches the right temp, just tent it with foil to avoid direct heat. And the lemon flavor is definitely subtle– I just checked with my husband (who doesn’t like strong lemon flavor) and he confirmed :-) Hope you like it!!
Angela
How long do you hear the mixture of chicken broth etc.. Until it is done?
Elizabeth
Hi! I’m a bit confused by your question- do you mean when you make chicken broth from the scraps? If so, the longer the better! On the stove top, I’ll usually simmer it for 2-4 hours. In the slow cooker, I’ll cook it on low for about 8 hours or high for about 4. Hope that helps :-)
Sarah
Oh my gosh! Don’t toss the scraps! Once you have cleaned the chicken off the bone, throw the bones back into the same pot, add about 8 cups of water and a tbl of apple cider vinegar. Place the cover on and put it back into the oven at 325° for about 4-5 hours. This will give you a very rich healthy bone broth!!!
Jennifer
I made this recipe tonight and it turned out great. But OMG do not toss those onions! They came out amazingly carmalized in the bottom of my pot and were delicious. Just eat them with the chicken or put them on top of your mashed potatoes!
Elizabeth
Excellent advice! Happy you liked the recipe (and the onions) :-)
Lauren
Do you cook with the lid off?
Elizabeth
Yes. Otherwise, the chicken will steam more and you won’t get the yummy crispy skin. If you think it’s burning too quickly on top and the chicken isn’t done cooking all the way through yet, put the lid on ajar so the top doesn’t get direct heat. Hope this helps! :-)
bakesinslippers
Just wow. looks divine
Leia
This sounds delicious! I love those flavors combined.
Elizabeth
Thanks, Leia! :-)
Irina
I found this recipe via pinterest and made it last night… it was the best chicken i had in a long time. Thank you so much – I am definitely doing this again and again. amazing!!!!
Elizabeth
Irina- I am so happy to hear that you liked it!!! It’s my favorite chicken recipe ever :-) Yay, thanks for stopping by and telling me!
Jenny
Do you cover the chicken while it’s cooking in the dutch oven, or leave it uncovered the entire time? Thanks!
Elizabeth
Leave the chicken uncovered, otherwise the skin won’t be crispy! If it is burning or cooking too quickly, put the lid on ajar.
Terri
Thanks for the recipe. It smells delicious … I making it for the first time right now . I’m curious what you serve with it to your family and if you were entertaining with the recipe
Elizabeth
I’m a big fan of mashed potatoes with roasted chicken- you can drizzle the juices from the chicken over them and it’s DELICIOUS (or if you are feeling adventurous, make gravy from the drippings and pour it over everything!).