Easy, simple, flavorful Perfect Roast Chicken. This is the best roast chicken recipe ever and is perfect for your Sunday roast.
THE BEST ROAST CHICKEN
There's nothing better than a good roast chicken on a Sunday evening. The delicious Sunday roast. This roasted chicken is one of my favorite meals to make. I can always count on it to turn out perfectly and the leftovers make for an amazing CHICKEN SALAD.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST ROASTED CHICKEN:
- 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.
- You can use ghee to help with the smoking but I've tried it and I don't feel you get the same flavor.
- It's also 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!
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, RANCH SMASHED POTATOES or 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!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN:
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.
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. 
CRAVING MORE RECIPES? GIVE THESE A TRY!
CROCK POT CHICKEN POT PIE
CROCK POT CHICKEN & STUFFING
CHICKEN TACO RECIPE
CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS CASSEROLE
EASY CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE
RITZ CHICKEN CASSEROLE
CHEESY BBQ BACON RANCH CHICKEN & POTATOES
THE BEST ROAST CHICKEN
Ingredients
- 1 (5-6 pound) roasting chicken
- kosher salt & ground black pepper
- 1 lemon
- 1 whole head of garlic
- 2 tbsp salted butter melted
Instructions
- 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. Pat it 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. 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.
Video
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!
- You can use ghee to help with the smoking but I've tried it and I don't feel you get the same flavor.
Nutrition
Originally published: November 2011
Updated & republished: September 2020
That is one pretty chicken Brandie.
There's nothing like a roast chicken - and yours looks perfect - really beautiful
Mary x
yummy yummy..Delicious..Thanks for the recipe dear
This chicken is absolutely perfect!!
I have never roasted a chicken with garlic and lemon before but this was absolutely wonderful!!!
Ooooh I love roast chicken and that picture is making my mouth water! My husband is usually in charge of making stuff like this but I may just have to take over next time!
Looks so delicious. Roast chicken is my favorite comfort meal. Crave worthy. Yummy!
This does look the "best" and "perfect"!!!!
Looks and sounds (& smells!=) like a perfect recipe to me. I love simple and easy and this takes the cake...er, uh...the chicken. Lovely post! Enjoy your weekend Girlie.
Oh yeah!
That chicken looks perfect! I have a chicken in my freezer. I might have to try this. Great job and thanks for sharing.
This chicken looks amazing! Yum! I love how crispy and perfect the skin came out. 🙂
What a pretty chicken!!
Brandie, this certainly does look perfection on a plate: moist inside and crispy outside. In fact, the description could be for a macaron. Haven't had a roast chicken in ages - hm. You've inspired me - perhaps I should make a roast chicken macaron? Just kidding. Love your juicy photos!
That is truly a work of art Roast Chicken, Brandi! I wanted nothing more than to dive into that photo when I saw it. I LOVE the pretty color of the skin; that can be hard to do and I've been cooking for 30 some years. Ahem, I started in the cradle, ok?
Sooooo buzzed!
Jill, if anyone could do it - you could!!
Janet, oh yes me too..LOL
Oh my! That skin looks so crispy, you could lite a match with it. I will be it tasted fantastic and made you house smell so good! Thanks for sharing.
Looks delicious!!
I made this chicken recipe today and it was quite perfect!
This is a picture perfect roast chicken. Thanks for sharing.
This is the perfect roast chicken recipe and I have tried many. Crispy skin with a great flavor. Meat is incredibly moist. Best part is it’s very easy and full-proof. I make it at least once a week. Everything is better with butter!
I made this chicken for dinner last night. It was so tender and juicy and delicious! The garlic and the lemon gave it such a good flavor! This is hands down the best chicken recipe I have ever tried (and I've tried a bunch). Thank you so much for sharing! This is the first of your recipes I've tried and it most certainly will not be the last.
This was fantastic....my new go-to for roasted chicken!
i'm thinking of making this, but do not have a roasting pan. Is it required and do you have to have a lid? Thank you so much for existing, my family thanks you too!!!
Hi Shanda! You could use a 9x13 baking dish for this. That roasting pan just helps ensure that the bird has air circulating around it. It is not absolutely necessary though. I do not cover the chicken. I won't lie, it gets a bit smoky because you are cooking it with butter but not covering it really helps the skin to get brown and crispy (if you enjoy the skin). Hope that helps! 🙂
This turned out so flavorful and looked just like your picture. I can't believe I made it!