Perfect Roast Chicken (2024)

1. Preheat oven and prepare chicken:

   Let chicken and 1 tablespoon butter stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove and discard the plastic pop-up timer from chicken if there is one. Remove the giblets and excess fat from the chicken cavity. Dry chicken thoroughly with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips under the body. Sprinkle the cavity of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper, and set aside.

   

2. Layer onions in roasting pan:

   1. In the center of a heavy-duty roasting pan, place onion slices in two rows, touching.

   

3. Prep lemon:

   Place the palm of your hand on top of lemon and, pressing down, roll lemon back and forth several times. Pierce entire surface of lemon with a fork.

   Pressing down on the lemon with your hand and rolling it softens the citrus and allows the juice to flow more freely.

   

4. Crush garlic:

   Using the side of a large knife, gently press on garlic cloves to open slightly.

   

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5. Add garlic, thyme, and lemon to chicken:

   Insert garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, and lemon into cavity.

   

6. Place chicken in pan and tie legs:

   Place chicken in pan, on onion slices. Cut about 18 inches of kitchen twine, bring chicken legs forward, cross them, and tie together.

   

7. Rub chicken with butter and roast:

   Spread the softened butter over entire surface of chicken, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place in the oven, and roast until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and the juices run clear when pierced, about 1 1/2 hours. When chicken seems done, insert an instant-read thermometer into the breast, then the thigh. The breast temperature should read 180°F and the thigh 190°F.

   

8. Remove chicken and let rest:

   Remove chicken from oven, and transfer to a cutting board with a well. Let chicken stand 10 to 15 minutes so the juices settle.

   

Make Gravy

1. Collect pan drippings:

   Meanwhile, pour the pan drippings into a shallow bowl or fat separator, and leave onions in the pan. Leave any brown baked-on bits in the bottom of the roasting pan, and remove and discard any blackened bits. Using a large spoon or fat separator, skim off and discard as much fat as possible.

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2. Pour drippings from cutting board into roasting pan:

   Pour the remaining drippings and the juices that have collected under the resting chicken back into the roasting pan.

   

3. Cook over medium-high heat:

   Place pan on the stove over medium-high heat to cook, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock, raise heat to high, and, using a wooden spoon, stir up and combine the brown bits with the stock until the liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes.

   

4. Strain gravy:

   Strain the gravy into a small bowl, pressing on onions to extract any liquid.

   

5. Discard onions and add butter:

   Discard onions, and stir in the remaining tablespoon of cold butter until melted and incorporated.

   

Carve Chicken and Serve

1. Untie the legs, and remove and discard garlic, thyme, and lemon. Carve the chicken and serve the gravy on the side.

   A sharp, thin knife is your best friend when it’s time to carve the chicken. For step-by-step instructions, see How to Carve a Whole Bird Like a Pro.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between roasting and baking a chicken?

Both roasting and bakinginvolve cooking with dry, ambient heat, usually in an oven, but there is a difference between the two techniques, even if the definitions are sometimes a matter of debate. Roasting generally takes place at higher temperatures (400 degrees Fahrenheit and above) and has a goal of browning and caramelizing foods. Baking happens at lower temperatures and can be applied to a vast variety of foods.

Learn more about the differences between roasting and baking.

Do you need to cover a chicken when roasting?

If you want your chicken to be truly roasted with crisp, golden-brown skin, it needs to spend time in the oven uncovered. If you find that some parts of the skin are browning more rapidly than others, you can loosely tent the browner parts with foil to allow the rest of the skin to catch up.

How do you keep a chicken from drying out while roasting?

Paying close attention to oven temperature, cooking time, and internal temperature is the best way to keep your chicken moist and juicy—no extra brining or marinating necessary.

Do you put water in the pan when roasting a chicken?

It’s usually not necessary to add water to the pan for a roast chicken: the steam created by the water can prevent the skin from becoming browned and crisp. However, if you do notice during roasting that all of the drippings in the bottom of the pan have evaporated, a splash of water can prevent the pan from scorching and preserve the tasty drippings.

Other Roast Chicken Recipes to Try

• Roast Chicken With Vegetables and Potatoes
• Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
• Flat Roast Chicken
  
• Inside-Out "Stuffed" Chicken With Mushroom Dressing
  
• Roast Chicken With Paprika and Garlic