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.
Brenda Hilley
I made this before and added potato wedges, carrots and onion chunks to the bottom of the pot, under the chicken, to keep the skin from getting soggy. It’s wonderful! And a one pot meal. Gotta love that!
I’ve ALWAYS boiled leftovers (if there is any!) and bones to make broth. But I do it on top of the stove while the chicken is cooking in the oven. You can also add the clean parts of veggies that you would usually discard such as inner onion and garlic skins (NOT the dirty outer layers) and additional seasonings such as fresh oregano, basil or thyme from the garden. Strain well and freeze in useable sized containers. I use clean plastic Chinese take out trays. Once frozen I put several in a food saver freezer bag, leaving enough room to take out what I need and reseal. The plastic containers freeze the broth into flat 2″x4″x6″ blocks, perfect for single use and easy to store and stack in the freezer.
The resulting broth is wonderful for cooking rice or pasta rather than tasteless water, especially if it’s the accompaniment to a chicken dish, or the base for soups.
Elizabeth Lindemann
I’ve gotta try adding potato wedges next time! Yum! I actually JUST wrote a post on making homemade chicken stock a few weeks ago. I save the carcass in my freezer in a gallon sized plastic bag with veggie scraps until I’m ready to make it. I LOVE your idea of saving the broth in blocks in the freezer. Here’s my method: https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/chicken-stock/ :-)
R
Do roast with the lid on or off or both? It’s doesnt say
Elizabeth Lindemann
Lid off! It says at the end of the last instruction in the recipe card- only add the lid if it looks like it’s burning (place it ajar). Hope that helps and hope you like it! :)
Tierney
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it. I’m wondering if this chicken could be made a few hours in advance since I’ll be busy making other dishes right before dinner .Will it lose its crispiness and deliciousness if reheated??
Elizabeth Lindemann
So I actually need to add this to the recipe instructions, but it’s a good idea to let this sit for at least 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes before cutting into it, so the chicken stays juicy and you don’t burn yourself when cutting it. You can go up to about an hour if you need to. I wouldn’t reheat it, since the skin will definitely lose some of its crispiness and it may be overcooked. But while you have it in the oven cooking, you can prep all your other stuff, and then take it out of the oven to cook the rest of your things for about an hour. This is usually my routine for when I make a turkey for Thanksgiving! To keep the chicken warm, I recommend tenting it with foil if it’s going to sit for more than 30 minutes. In this case, the skin may lose some of its crispness, but will still be delicious. Hope that helps!
Cs
I made this and it was good. I only used 2 lemons instead of 4 and the lemon took over the other flavors. I love lemon, but it was a little too much for me. I will make this again, but probably use 1 lemon and see how that does.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Glad you liked it! You know, sometimes when I get a lemon, it’s super big and juicy, and other times I only get a couple teaspoons of juice out of it. I’ve been thinking of updating this recipe so I’ll try and measure out the amount of juice needed as a more precise ingredient. Thanks for the feedback!
Madison
This looks DELICIOUS! I want to make it ASAP but I’m curious if there is a weight you look for in a whole chicken? Is there an ideal size/weight?
Elizabeth
I usually get a chicken that’s around 6 lbs! Usually the free range, organic, or natural chickens are a little smaller than the cheaper, more conventional ones. This is partly because they aren’t given growth hormones to make them bigger, but also because often those chickens are packed with a lot of water, which contributes to the overall weight, but evaporates when you cook it and tends to make the chicken a little dryer (if you get chickens that are “air chilled” you will avoid this water weight). So I’d actually err on the smaller size, somewhere between 5-7 lbs. Also, usually the “roaster” chickens are about 5-7 lbs. whereas the broiler chickens are a little smaller. Hope that helps!
Ellen
Making this now, smells really good,.. hopefully it is flavourful. Was burning a bit on the top so I put lid on ajar
Elizabeth
Hope you liked it! :-)
smbasoff
making this now and it sounds delicious. I missed the weight and my whole chicken is almost 5.5 lbs. Can I cook it faster at a higher temp?
Elizabeth
Hope it came out OK for you! I wouldn’t cook it at a higher temp because you run the risk of the outside cooking faster than the inside and being overcooked in some parts- this is true for any chicken no matter the size. Hope that helps!
Kayla
My first time roasting a whole chicken and it was delicious, I used Ghee in place of butter to make it paleo friendly but man me and my husband have been tearing that chicken up. Thank you for the recipe! I look forward to trying more of yours!
Elizabeth
So glad you liked it! Ghee is a great substitute. You can also use olive oil.
Stephanie
It turned out great, though my oven is so tiny. I had an over 6lb chicken a d it took about the same time as if I had a 4.5lb chicken, and it was a bit over cooked!!
Did you ever do anything with the onions and juices from the roasted chicken?
Elizabeth
Glad you liked it! You can save the juices at the bottom for chicken stock- I’d separate the fat and use the rest to cook with rice or add to soup. You can freeze it too. And you can even use the fat for things like biscuits or sautèing onions as a base for soup! As for the onions, I think they’d be delicious mixed into some roasted veggies to serve on the side of the chicken. Other readers have added potatoes to the bottom of the dutch oven to soak up the juices and served them as a side along with the onions. Hope that helps!
Gina Jacobson
I am cooking it now, added carrpts, celery and small white potatoes along with the onion, stuffed the cavity with the lemons hope it comes out good, smelling delicios
Elizabeth
Hope you liked it!
Candice
This chicken has so much flavor and it is easy to make. I love it!
Elizabeth
So happy you liked it!!
Tikela B
I’m making this tonight for dinner. I’m so excited! I’ll let you know how it goes :-)
Elizabeth
Hope you liked it! :-)
ELIZABETH J
My husband made this tonight. Even though the man cannot make toast without burning it (every time, sigh), he tried this recipe. Yes, he cooked it to 187 degrees, But!, it tasted wonderful. I cannot wait to get back on my feet to really cook a chicken using this recipe. So simple, yet very, very good.
Elizabeth
I’m so happy you liked it and that your husband was able to cook it! Now I need to get my husband to try to make it, too! :-)
Jessica Benton
I never knew a chicken would taste so good.
The funny thing is that I never knew they had tails either. Lol.
Elizabeth
Hah! So happy you liked it :-)
Karen M. Chapman
Wow, what an awesome meal. I haven’t roasted a chicken in for ever. So easy. I must do soon for sure!
Elizabeth
Hope you like it! Thanks!
Samantha Dorman
Hiya. I assume I can use olive oil instead of butter? This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it.
Elizabeth
Definitely! Hope you like it!
Wylfenne
Just. WOW. Made this yesterday and it was AMAZING! Totally blew my boyfriend’s mind. I’ve never cooked something so delicious or amazing in my life! THANK YOU!!
Elizabeth
So happy you both liked it!! This comment made my day :-)
Bryan
Hi Elizabeth, this post is way overdue, but I make this chicken every Sunday night and I have been for a while! It’s my very favorite dutch oven recipe, especially because I love lemon so much and have a TON of rosemary growing in my backyard. The chicken always comes out perfect and the only adjustment I ever have to make is the cooking time depending on the size of chicken I have on hand. I pair it with my slow cooker green beans every Sunday! Thanks so much for this perfect recipe!
Elizabeth
I’m so happy you like this recipe so much!! Thanks for the comment :-)
Sandy
Amazing! Our family ate the whole thing! Made simple rice with it. The bird was the star of the show.
Elizabeth
So happy you and your family liked it!
Geeta
This is AH-mazing! Chicken was so juicy and flavorful. I followed the recipe exactly except I thre in some potatoes, carrots and parsnips at the bottom of the Dutch oven, along with the onions. The veggies tasted as good as the chicken and I got so many compliments. Hands down – best chicken recipe!
Elizabeth
Thanks so much, and I’m glad you liked it! I bet those carrots, potatoes, and parsnips soaked up all those delicious juices and were fabulous. I’ll have to try that next time!