Des

Hey! I'm Des!

Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

Read more »

Oven Roasted Whole Chicken

Oven Roasted Whole Chicken is the perfect Sunday Supper! Brining the chicken before cooking ensures a perfectly juicy, flavorful bird.

Nothing says Sunday Supper like a perfectly roasted chicken. And with my recipe, you’ll learn all the tips and tricks for making a juicy, flavorful bird that’ll be a showstopper at your next family dinner.

Roast chicken on a white plate with green beans and mashed potatoes.

The Key to Juicy Chicken: Brine that Bird.

If you have spent any time on my blog, then you’ll know that I am a huge fan of brining chicken. Brining chicken involves soaking the chicken in a salt and water solution.

Chicken in brine.

Remember learning about osmosis in school? That is what is happening here. The solution passes through the membrane of the chicken resulting in a juicier, flavorful bird. If you want to learn more about the science behind brining, you can check out this article.

This brine is made with water, salt, brown sugar, garlic, peppercorns and herbs. You’ll want to brine the chicken for at least 4 hours or overnight.

DES’ TIP: To help ensure the meat isn’t too salty, it is important to rinse meat after you brine it. To avoid splashing of bacteria around the kitchen, I prefer to simply drain the brine out of the bag and then add fresh clean water to cover the chicken and then drain again. Or you can do a slow trickle of water out of the faucet so that it doesn’t splash. Either way be sure to sanitize your sink and surrounding area afterwards. 

What ingredients do you need?

Overhead photo of chicken dinner.

WHOLE CHICKEN: You’ll want a 4 – 5 pound chicken for this recipe. Be sure to remove the giblets from the inside before cooking. You can discard or freeze them and use them for chicken stock later.

WATER

LEMON: Cut in half. To stuff inside the cavity of the chicken.

WHOLE HEAD GARLIC: Cut in half . Also to stuff inside the cavity of the chicken.

SALT: Kosher salt is best.

BROWN SUGAR: Adds a touch of sweetness.

HERBS: You can use any of your favorite herbs. For this recipe I use dried oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves.

DES’ TIP: You can use fresh herbs if you’ve got them. Remember use 1 tablespoon fresh to every teaspoon dried. Also, don’t use ground dried herbs, they can make the brine a greenish color which could make your chicken greenish too. 

GRANULATED GARLIC: I prefer granulated garlic because of the texture. It doesn’t clump as much as garlic powder. That being said, you can substitute garlic powder if that is what you have. Don’t use garlic salt.

WHOLE BLACK PEPPERCORN: For a little spice.

BUTTER: Melted butter to brush over the chicken. This helps the chicken skin turn a lovely golden color. And helps with that crispy skin  everyone loves.

Step by Step Photos and Instructions:

STEP #1: Make the brine. Combine 1 quart of water with salt and sugar. Cook just until salt and sugar dissolve. Add in oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, granulated garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves. Remove from heat and pour in another quart of cool water. Allow the brine to cool to room temperature.

Brine solution in a pot.

STEP #2: Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag (or other non-reactive container) and pour the brine over the chicken. Seal and refrigerate for four hours or overnight.

Pouring brine over chicken.

DES’ TIP: I like to place the chicken and bag in a big bowl before I add the brine. This helps keep it stable and should the bag leak, the bowl will catch any liquid. 

STEP #3: Discard the brine. Carefully rinse and pat dry the chicken.

STEP #4: Stuff the chicken cavity with a lemon cut in half and a whole garlic of garlic cut in half. Brush the chicken with melted butter.

Brushing melted butter on raw chicken.

STEP #5 Season liberally with salt and pepper. Use kitchen twine to tie the chicken legs together and tuck the wingtips under the body of the chicken. This helps prevent them from burning.

Whole chicken seasoned with salt and pepper.

STEP #6: Place chicken in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the chicken at 425 degrees for 1 – 1 1/2 hours or until cooked through and juices run clear. Chicken is done when a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh registers 165 degrees. If the skin starts to brown too quickly loosely cover with aluminum foil.  Allow the chicken to rest 5 – 10 minutes before carving.

DES’ TIP: It is important to let any meat rest before slicing. This helps redistribute the juices throughout the meat, keeping it juicy. 

Overhead photo of crispy oven roasted chicken in a pan.

Following the method that I have laid out here, is sure to give you a perfectly Crispy Oven Roasted Chicken. Even the breast of the chicken, which I usually find dry, is juicy! Your family is sure to love it as much as mine.

Side angle photo of roast chicken.

What to do with the leftovers:

If you’ve got leftovers, this makes great shredded chicken salad sandwiches. You can even try our favorite Dill Chicken Salad Sandwiches. You can also use leftover chicken in tacos, taquitos, pasta dishes and salads.

To round out your Sunday Dinner, serve this Oven Roasted Chicken with these sides:

Garlic Rice

Gravy Recipe

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Southern Style Green Beans

Looking for more delectable easy chicken recipes? Here are some of the most popular on my blog:

Dill Pickle Chicken Wings 

Brine Fried Chicken 

Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

Caribbean Jerk Chicken Pasta

Note: This recipe was originally posted in 2008. It was updated in 2020 with a new recipe, step by step photos, instructions and nutrition facts.

 

Overhead photo of crispy oven roasted chicken in a pan.

Oven Roasted Whole Chicken

Crispy Oven Roasted Whole Chicken is the perfect Sunday Supper! Brining the chicken before cooking ensures a perfectly juicy, flavorful bird.
Prep Time 4 hrs 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 5 hrs 10 mins
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 641 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ingredients:

  • 1 4 - 5 pound whole chicken
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1/2 kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 2 - 3 bay leaves
  • 1 lemon cut in half
  • 1 bulb garlic
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted

Instructions
 

  • Make the brine. Combine 1 quart of water with salt and sugar. Cook just until salt and sugar dissolve. Add in oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, granulated garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves. Remove from heat and pour in another quart of cool water. Allow the brine to cool to room temperature. 
  • Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag (or other non-reactive container) and pour the brine over the chicken. Seal and refrigerate for four hours or overnight. 
  • When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Discard the brine. Carefully rinse and pat dry the chicken. 
  • Stuff the chicken cavity with a lemon cut in half and a whole head (bulb) of garlic cut in half. Brush the chicken with melted butter.
  • Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Use kitchen twine to tie the chicken legs together and tuck the wingtips under the body of the chicken. This helps prevent them from burning. 
  • Place chicken in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the chicken at 425 degrees for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until cooked through and juices run clear. Chicken is done when a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh registers 165 degrees. If the skin starts to brown too quickly loosely cover with aluminum foil.  
  • Roast the chicken at 425 degrees for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until cooked through and juices run clear. Chicken is done when a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh registers 165 degrees. If the skin starts to brown too quickly loosely cover with aluminum foil.  
  • Allow chicken to rest 5 - 10 minutes before carving.

Notes

Nutrition facts are for estimation purposes only.

Nutrition

Calories: 641kcalCarbohydrates: 8.2gProtein: 87.9gFat: 26.5gSaturated Fat: 8.7gCholesterol: 279mgSodium: 9730mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6g
Tried this recipe?Mention @lifesambrosia or tag #lifesambrosia!
Keywords: chicken, corn, Food, gravy, Homemade, mashed potatos, Recipe

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




  • Reply
    Barbara
    May 8, 2009 at 8:06 pm

    I have used so many of your recipes, and it seems we have very similiar taste. Tis is the first place I check for something new.
    One way to solve a dry oven baked chicken is to stuff a halved lemon or orange in the cavity. I put in lemon and garlic, and the chicken is very moist and delicious!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      May 11, 2009 at 12:36 pm

      Barbara- I am glad you enjoy so many of my recipes! The addition of lemon and garlic to roasted chicken sounds delicious. Thanks for the tip!

  • Reply
    Alison Cook
    November 2, 2008 at 10:49 am

    Although I haven’t had much of an appetite lately with this whole pregnancy thing…your food pictures make me want that food bad…so can you please come to my house and cook for me. thanks…

  • Des

    Hey! I'm Des!

    Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

    Read more »

    Sharing is Caring

    Help spread the word. You're awesome for doing it!