Perfect Roast Chicken - How to Roast a Whole Chicken
Tips on how to roast a whole chicken in the shortest time possible while ensuring that the chicken is super flavorful. This is a hit on the dinner table!
Remove thawed chicken from the fridge and bring to room temperature one hour before preparing.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F or 220 degrees C.
Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
Mix melted butter together with parsley, garlic powder, bouillon powder, dried rosemary, and red pepper flakes if using.
Rub salt and white/black pepper all over the chicken then rub the butter and herb mixture over the chicken, making sure to rub some on the inside. Place the onion and celery into the cavity of the chicken. Tie the chicken legs with a kitchen string then tuck the wings beneath the chicken. Watch the video above to see how to tuck the wings under the chicken.
Place chicken on a cast iron skillet, a roasting pan, or a heavy-duty aluminum foil pan. Roast in preheated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes until the juices run clear. If able to use a meat thermometer, insert it into the inner thigh near the leg and the breast, being careful not to touch the bone. When the chicken is done, it should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 73 degrees Celsius.
Let the chicken rest for about 15 minutes so it can reabsorb its juices then you can carve it and serve!
Notes
1. A good rule to follow when roasting chicken is to roast for about 15 minutes per pound at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius). I used a 5-pound chicken in this recipe so I cooked it for 75 minutes following the rule of 15 minutes per pound. Adjust your cooking time based on the size of your chicken.2. Since it is unlikely that you might get the exact same size chicken like mine, I advise that you adjust the quantity of your salt and white/black pepper as needed. If your chicken is closer to 6 pounds, sprinkle on a little more salt. If your chicken is less than 5 pounds, use less salt.3. Note that you do not need to add so much salt on the chicken because chicken bouillon powder is salty.