Classic Roast Chicken (Printable)

Golden-brown whole chicken roasted with herbs and vegetables for a satisfying family dinner.

# Ingredient List:

→ Poultry

01 - 1 whole chicken (approximately 3.3 lbs), giblets removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
03 - 2 medium onions, quartered
04 - 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
05 - 1 lemon, halved

→ Herbs & Aromatics

06 - 4 garlic cloves, smashed
07 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
08 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

→ Fats & Seasonings

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
11 - 1 ½ teaspoons salt
12 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 425°F.
02 - Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub the skin and cavity evenly with olive oil or melted butter, salt, and pepper.
03 - Place lemon halves, smashed garlic cloves, 2 thyme sprigs, and 1 rosemary sprig inside the chicken cavity.
04 - Secure legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wings beneath the body.
05 - Spread carrots, onions, and celery evenly in a large roasting pan. Layer remaining thyme and rosemary sprigs over vegetables. Position chicken breast-side up on top.
06 - Cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear and an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest thigh reads 165°F.
07 - Allow the chicken to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired and serve alongside the roasted vegetables.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The skin gets shatteringly crisp while the meat stays impossibly juicy—no dry chicken disaster here.
  • Those caramelized vegetables that roast underneath become almost as good as the bird itself.
  • One pan, one bird, one hour and twenty minutes of mostly hands-off cooking that makes you look like you tried way harder than you did.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting period—I learned this the hard way by cutting into a bird too early and watching all those beautiful juices disappear onto the plate.
  • A meat thermometer is your actual best friend here; it removes all the guesswork about whether you've cooked it through.
  • If your oven runs hot, your chicken will cook faster—start checking at the 1-hour mark to avoid a dried-out disaster.
03 -
  • Dry brine the chicken for an hour in the fridge before roasting if you have time; it makes the skin ridiculously crispy and the meat even juicier.
  • Save those pan drippings to make a simple gravy—just deglaze with a splash of wine or chicken stock and you'll have something extraordinary for pouring.

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