This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Please read our disclosure policy.
Why I Love This Roast Chicken Recipe
A good roast chicken is a recipe everyone needs in their back pocket. After a long day, if you want a quick (but good) meal, you can roast a chicken with vegetables. A roast chicken is really the workhorse in the kitchen. As long as you have a chicken that is thawed, you can have a meal that pleases everyone in a relatively short amount of time with little work. This works as a meal for guests and is easy enough for a family meal at home.
Chicken is easy to roast, but a few tips can add flavor and ensure a crispy golden skin:
- Always separate the skin from the meat by work your fingers underneath the skin and gently separating.
- Make sure to work slowly, being careful not to tear the skin.
- By separating the skin, air and heat can move freely and allow the skin to become extra crisp.
- Separating the skin allows butter and herbs to be rubbed directly over the meat.
Putting the compound butter under the chicken’s skin provides the protection to keep the butter from burning. The herbs and salt in the compound butter will work directly with the meat for the most added flavor.
Roast Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken – The obvious star of this recipe and a definite crowd-pleaser. Choose a plump five-pound organic chicken without any brining. A five pound bird will have plenty of meat for a group or family, and provide some amount of leftovers. A good quality bird is certainly worth the price.
- Butter – Adds so much flavor and is a crucial part of this being considered the best roast chicken. When mixed at room temperature with the herbs, it makes the mixture easy to spread under the skin of the chicken. This will make for a crispy and super delicious skin after roasting.
- Thyme – The herb of choice for the butter mixture. Instead of adding numerous herbs, keep it simple with this classic herb. I use dried thyme since it’s always on hand, but fresh will work as well. If using fresh, double the amount.
- Lemon zest – Mixed into the compound butter. A little citrus wakes up all of the flavors as well as some brightness.
- Garlic cloves – Added to the butter. I use a garlic press to easily minced the garlic and ensure the cloves evenly mix into the butter.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
Secrets to Making the Best Roast Chicken
As the chicken roasts, the compound butter and olive oil that was rubbed all over the skin will baste the meat and create a golden, crispy skin.
To make this a meal, large pieces of carrots and fennel bulbs can roast with the chicken and pick up the flavor from the drippings. Keeping the vegetables a larger size will prevent them from becoming too soft. This really a comforting meal that is easy to keep on repeat. This dish will fill your house with an unbelievable aroma and anyone who eats this will fall in love!
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
To serve – Serve hot, carved at the table or in the kitchen, with pan juices spooned over the pieces. It is perfect with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a big green salad.
To store – Store leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 7 days in the fridge. Save pan drippings separately if you like. Freeze cooked chicken pieces for up to 3 months.
More Dinner Recipes
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
The Best Roast Chicken
Ingredients
For the compound butter
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 cloves garlic minced
For the chicken and vegetables
- 1 5-pound chicken
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ pounds carrot cut in large chunks
- 2 bulbs fennel cut into ⅛-inch wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, dried thyme, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and garlic. Mix together, evenly incorporating everything into the butter. Set aside.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 3 cloves garlic
- Using fingers, gently separate the skin from the chicken without tearing the skin. Work fingers over the legs and thighs as well. Once the skin is separated, spread the butter mixture onto the meat under the skin. The butter may clump as it cools against the chicken. Place the tops of the fennel along with approximately 1 lemon inside the cavity of the chicken. Also at this point, truss the legs. Set aside.1 5-pound chicken
- Spread the prepared carrots and fennel on a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set chicken on top of the vegetables and sprinkle with a small amount of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches 160°F. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes. While resting, the chicken will reach 165°F.1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 ½ pounds carrot, 2 bulbs fennel, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- After resting, carve the chicken and serve with the vegetables.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Hi! We made this last night for dinner and it is SO good! I made it as written, but subbed onion for fennel because we were out. It’s easy, comforting and delicious! I have some leftover, which will make great sandwiches with all the flavor from your recipe. Next up, I’m going to make your unstuffed cabbage roll casserole. We love stuffed cabbage but I hate making it. Thanks again!