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This roast chicken comes out perfectly juicy with crisp skin and roasted veggies that soak up all the flavor. It’s a no-fuss meal perfect for weeknights or guests.
Holly’s Highlights For Roast Chicken
- Flavor: This recipe has a homey flavor with juicy chicken and crisp skin. The vegetables are infused with flavor from the chicken drippings and beautifully caramelized.
- Skill level: While this recipe seems fancy, it’s pretty easy to prepare. Chop the vegetables, season the chicken, and cook it all together.
- Technique: Tying the legs together (known as trussing) ensures the chicken cooks evenly. I use kitchen twine.
- Recommended tools: An instant-read thermometer is an inexpensive way to ensure the chicken is roasted to perfection.
- Budget tip: Watch for whole chickens to go on sale. If you find a good price, they freeze well for future meals.
How Long To Roast A Chicken
A 4lb chicken will roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 and a half hours. If your chicken is larger or smaller, adjust the cooking times accordingly.
Start with 12 minutes at 450°F and then you’ll need an additional 20 minutes per pound.
- 3.5lb chicken: 12 minutes at 450°F + 70 minutes at 350°F = 82 minutes total
- 4lb chicken: 12 minutes at 450°F + 80 minutes at 350°F = 92 minutes total
- 4.5lb chicken: 12 minutes at 450°F + 90 minutes at 350°F = 102 minutes total
- 5lb chicken: 12 minutes at 450°F + 100 minutes at 350°F = 112 minutes total
- 6lb chicken: 12 minutes at 450°F + 120 minutes at 350°F = 132 minutes total
Cook times can vary slightly if your chicken is very cold out of the fridge. A meat thermometer inserted in the thigh (not touching the bone) should read 165°F.
Pro Tips For Roast Chicken
- The secret to juicy chicken with crispy skin is to preheat the oven to 450°F and turn it down for roasting.
- Pat the skin dry before seasoning for the best results.
- Roast the chicken uncovered so the skin crisps up nicely in the oven.
- If the chicken skin begins to brown too much before the chicken is done, tent it loosely with foil to prevent any further browning while it finishes cooking.
- Let the chicken rest at least 10 minutes before carving.
- While the chicken is resting, the vegetables can continue cooking. If they are done, turn the oven off and let them rest in the oven to keep warm.
Sides to Serve with Roast Chicken
Did you enjoy this Roast Chicken Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Roast Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 pound whole chicken
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs
- chicken seasoning see notes
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 medium carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Add the vegetables to the bottom of a shallow casserole dish or 9×13 baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and check the insides for giblets. If the chicken has giblets, they can be added to the pan or discarded.
- Rub the skin with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with chicken seasoning or the rub below.
- Place the chicken breast side up on the vegetables. Place the pan in the oven. Cook uncovered for 12 minutes at 450°F.
- Turn the oven down to 350°F and bake for an additional 20 minutes per pound or until the inner thigh reaches 165°F. (A 4 pound chicken will need an additional 75 to 80 minutes).
- Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer it to a plate to rest for at least 15 minutes. While the chicken is resting, return the vegetables to the oven if they need a few more minutes cook time.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This is a wonderful recipe! The bird I had was actually close to 7 pounds! So, I had to adjust a bit. But it served as a perfect guide for a one pan meal that EVERYONE absolutely loved!!
Makes for an impressive meal, so tasty (and easy!). We have this on some weeknights and feel like we are having a fancy Sunday dinner. Can’t resist making Yorkshire puddings while the bird rests! Such a great meal.
This is a great way to roast a whole chicken or chicken pieces. I’ve done both. Because there’s very little effort or prep time involved, the recipe works well for a weeknight dinner. The vegetables are done at the same time as the chicken and are nicely caramelized from the pan drippings.
Hi Holly,
i have a few questions.
The chicken turned out very nice but my vegetables (carrot, potatoes, parsnip)
didn’t
On the edge of the pan they are too done. close to the chicken they are nicer. the potatoes tho seem just very hard♀️
I am wondering if I’ve cut them too small? we had a 3.5 pound chicken.
I’ve had the pan on the 2nd last level (low) and on fan mode.
Normally, I’ve added water when doing roast veges. But realised after, that wasn’t called for. Now I’m wondering if that could have an effect?
Can you help?
Thank you,
I have never added water to the vegetables but you could certainly try it, I’d think the steam from water (or broth) would cook the vegetables faster. If they’re not soft enough, you’ll want to cut them smaller, if they’re too soft, cut them larger. Hope that helps.
Love this recipe! I have a hard time getting my husband to eat vegetables and the seasonings on these made them so delish that he cleaned his plate! As a note, I added extra individual Italian seasonings to the veggies to ensure they were well coated. I also made chicken gravy to go over the chicken and veggies. Yum!
This was an amazing recipe. My husband who can be a picky eater raved about this meal! I made this with 1/2 a chicken and served it with homemade chicken gravy. After turning the oven down to 350, it took about 40 mins. for the chicken to come to 165 degrees. I’ll definitely be making this again!
Not one for leaving comments … BUT …
Cooked this up today. I was very skeptical that the taters and carrots would not be over-cooked, but to my surprised they were perfect!! ( I like my veggies in a ‘SOLID’ state- not mushy ). I did not follow the ‘recipe’ to a ‘T’ as to ingredients and spices, BUT did follow the time line for cooking. Bird was out of the refrigerator for about 45 minutes before entering the oven (internal temp at entry was 55F). 12 minutes at 450, then about 75 minutes at 350 (3.75ish pound bird). Internal temp was 168F mid-breast …. PERFECT!!!
on a side note, this is the same type of method I use for doing my Turkeys … 475F for 20 minutes then 20 minutes per pound at 250F … KEY to both these birds is DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR at ALL!!!
I am glad you enjoyed it, Roy! Thanks for sharing your tips.
This recipe was excellent especially with your Poultry Seasoning. First time I roast chicken with the vegetables. I did make a gravy and it was excellent. Good combiantion of flavours.
I add in six or seven whole cloves of peeled garlic.
So yummy! The rub was delicious. Best meal we’ve had in a while!
awesome recipe!!!!
I made this today and it was very very good.
This recipe was flawless and everything turned out perfect, thank you for sharing!
If you have a 3 lb. chicken… after the first 12 minutes @ 450 – then turn down to 350 … @ 350 for how long?
You can find this information in the post: 3lb chicken: 12 minutes at 450°F + 60 minutes at 350°F = 72 minutes total. Enjoy Elyce!
was delicious – thank you… I am 64 yrs young…this was my first (virgin) roasted chicken….
Looked for a different flavored meal. I made this dish with the rub for the chicken and used parsnips, Yukon potato, carrots & onion in it, seasoning the vegs with a little seasoned salt. The rub on the chicken permeated the vegs too making a very tasty meal. Thank you for posting, it’s a keeper.
Everything came out perfect! My son was even pulling off skin from other parts to eat! Thanks for a great recipe that I am sure I will use again and again!
This has become my go-to Roast Chicken recipe when I want something quick and simple. The Chicken Rub, particularly, has so much flavour, and I love that I know exactly what the ingredients are!
The chicken was a perfect cook, following the directions; nice and moist.
10/10
This is our new Saturday meal. It is SO good. I made a simple GF gravy to go with and it was insane. Thank you
Your chicken recipes look Amazing.
However I would Really like to know what seasonings you use.
Thank you
For the vegetables I use a homemade Italian seasoning, you can find the recipe here. For the chicken I use the rub that’s listed in the notes under the video or this chicken seasoning recipe here. I hope this helps Julie!
WHat temperature oven would you use when cooking chicken breasts in this recipe?
Hi Liza, I wouldn’t use chicken breasts in this recipe because the vegetables wouldn’t be cooked through by the time the chicken is done. If using bone-in chicken breasts, you can use this recipe and add vegetables to the pan. I hope this helps.
This turned out great. Starting at the high heat made all the difference.