Name: Perfect Roast Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 (5-6 pound) roasting chicken; kosher salt & ground black pepper; 1 lemon; 1 whole head of garlic; 2 tbsp salted butter (melted)

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4.41 from 30 votes

How do you make the Best Roast Chicken

Now I’ll be honest here (as I always try to be), I cringe at calling anything “the best” or “perfect.” Because really, it’s all subject to the tastebuds of each individual. How many things have you made that someone called “the best” and you thought it was crap-ola? Yep, me too. But this recipe for the best roast chicken will have you in agreement!

How do you season the meat in a roast chicken?

It’s all about seasoning the inside of the whole chicken so that the flavor penetrates the meat. Sometimes people like to put butter under the skin on the chicken. I find that method messy and often it tears the skin. Crispy skin is my favorite part. So, I go inside the bird! Season the whole inside with salt, pepper and then stuff it with fresh garlic and lemon. This produces juicy chicken with lots of flavor!

How do you get crispy chicken skin?

It’s all about the butter! Butter can cause a bit of smoke but it will give your chicken a golden color and make the skin crispy! This chicken is so juicy and the meat comes out so flavorful. The skin comes out crispy every time and is seasoned just right. All a great combination in my book. According to my tastebuds, this here chicken be the perfect roasted chicken!

What do I serve with roasted chicken?

This would be delicious served with my Creamy Herbed Fingerling Potatoes! Or perhaps something more classic like my Crock Pot Million Dollar Mashed Potatoes. For a more fall-inspired dish, maybe some Honey-Glazed Sweet Potatoes! Craving something other than potatoes? How about Italian Green Beans or my Bacon Garlic Green Beans. You can’t go wrong!

The Best Perfect Roast Chicken recipe from The Country Cook

What you’ll need:

roasting chicken

kosher salt & ground black pepper

lemon

garlic

good quality salted butter (I like Kerrygold butter)

How to make:

Preheat the oven to 425f degrees. Remove the chicken from plastic wrap and remove any giblets that are in the cavity. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any leftover pinfeathers that may still be hanging on and pat the outside dry. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Cut lemon and garlic head in half.

Stuff the cavity with lemon and garlic halves. You can squeeze a bit of the lemon juice into the chicken cavity before placing lemon halves inside. Brush the outside of the chicken with the melted butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Use all the butter, this is what is going to help make the skin crispy and give it a golden color.

Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken (this step is optional). Roast the chicken, uncovered, for about an hour and half or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.

Cook’s Notes: The melted butter you slather on the chicken may smoke some in your oven. Butter has a low burning point and because you are cooking this at a higher temperature, you may see a bit of smoking. Do not worry. This is normal. Just make sure your oven fan is in good working condition. It is all worth it for the flavor it brings to this chicken! Have some chicken leftover? Try making roasted chicken salad sandwiches!

Enjoy!

Recipe credit: Ina Garten