Learn to make perfect super juicy garlic & herb roasted whole chicken in the oven. Quick preparation & tons of flavors with delicious gravy prepared using pan drippings.
This simple herb-roasted chicken will be a perfect addition to a weekend family dinner or holiday party menu.
Its preparation is super easy and I can confirm that it won't take a lot of your time. Once prepared, the chicken just has to sit in the oven for all the ingredients to do their job.
Moreover, this easy-roasted chicken is a great alternative to Thanksgiving turkey. Especially, for small gatherings, it will be a perfect sized dish compared to a giant size whole turkey that can result in a ton of leftovers (I am not a big fan of leftovers :P). I am sure this melt-in-mouth whole chicken roast will definitely be a crowd-pleaser.
How to make Herb Roasted Whole Chicken in the oven?
For making the rub you will need a generous amount of fresh rosemary, garlic, salt, oil, lemon juice, black pepper, and smoked paprika. For filling the cavity of the chicken you will need fresh celery, onions, and lemon wedges. And of course, whole chicken which is absolutely compulsory (:P).
Mix all spices with lemon juice and oil and rub it over the chicken and inside of the cavity evenly. You can marinate the chicken and store it in the refrigerator before baking for more flavorful results. Fill in large onion pieces, celery and lemon quarters inside the cavity. Tie both legs together using a cotton twine. Then place the chicken on the metal rack with a roasting tray beneath. Pour some chicken stock in the tray and bake in a preheated oven to perfection.
Once the chicken is fully cooked make the gravy using pan drippings, celery, onion, and lemons. Step-by-step instructions are given below.
Helpful Tips:
- Buy organic whole chicken whenever possible. It's a bit pricey but I find it tastes so much better than regular chicken.
- I usually wash and pat dry the chicken before using. Make sure you empty kitchen sink and clean it before washing the chicken (if you decide to). Clean the sink and prep area thoroughly immediately after using meat products to prevent contamination. It may sound obvious but just a reminder in case you forget.
- If you have plenty of time, marinate the chicken well in advance. Let the chicken sit in the refrigerator after rubbing the spices. The longer you marinate more flavorful the bird will be.
Helpful Tools And Related Products:
- Roasting Tray - it will collect the drippings from the chicken while baking
- Roasting Rack - it will help to cook the chicken evenly on all sides. No need to flip the chicken halfway if you use it
- Almunium Foil - to cover the chicken while baking
- Cotton Twine - to tie the chicken legs together
📖 Recipe
Super Juicy Garlic And Herb Roasted Whole Chicken With Delicious Gravy
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Ingredients
- 3-4 lb whole chicken
- 2 cup chicken broth or more
Spice Rub:
- 5-6 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2-3 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper
Filling:
- a large celery stalk cut into 1-2" length
- 1 medium onion cut into quarters
- 1 lemon cut into quarters
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under 'spice rub'
- Rub this spice mixture all over the chicken and inside the cavity
- Fill in the chicken cavity with large pieces of onion, celery, and lemon. Tie the legs together using a cotton twine
- In a roasting pan pour chicken stock and place a metal rack on the pan
- Then lay the spiced chicken on the metal rack facing breast-side up
- Bake the chicken covered using aluminum foil in the preheated oven for 40 mins. Uncover the chicken and bake further for 35 mins.
- Let the chicken cool down slightly before carving
- Then discard the twine. Collect pan drippings along with onion, celery and lemon pulp from the cavity into a blender jar. Blend it into a fine puree that you can use as gravy on the side
Notes
- Wash and pat dry chicken before using. Remove giblets etc., if there are any.
- To get nice golden brown color, broil the chicken for 1-2 minute at the end of baking.
Beck & Bulow says
Made this for the first time, served with rice. It was so good I went back for seconds and packed it for my boyfriend’s lunch the next day. I asked him if he liked it and he said “I licked it off the bones”. 😂 Super simple and super delicious!
Vicky Laurentina says
Swati, the roasted chicken looked delicious and made me wanna buy oven for myself.
Shawn says
I love that you gave a recipe for the gravy too! Can't wait to try this for a Sunday dinner!
Gloria says
Hi there could you go into how to marinate the chicken in more detail? Do you just let it sit with the spices listed and over night a few hours? Thanks!
Hello Gloria,
I just let the chicken sit in the refrigerator after rubbing the spices (after step 3 in instructions). I usually marinate the chicken for at least 2-3 hours before baking in the oven. I hope this helps.
Gloria says
Yes that does! Thanks sometimes I head marinate and I think it has to sit in liquid or something. I can over complicate things that dont have everything spelt out. Thank for your reply I'll let you know how it turns out!!
Leigh says
Oh, I love making whole roasted chicken in the colder months. This looks amazing!
Denise says
Oh wow this looks yummy!
Sheila Mello says
There is no oven temperature specified. Please email me the oven temperature for roasting the chicken. Recipe looks very good.
Oops, I completely missed mentioning the oven temperature. Thank you, Sheila, for pointing it out. I have updated the recipe now. I use 375 F oven temperature to bake the whole chicken.