Easy Roasted Chicken – The Best Sunday Dinner

One of my very favorite Sunday dinners is this super easy roasted chicken recipe! It only takes a few ingredients, and 10 minutes to prepare, and will please a big crowd!

I like to throw this in the oven an hour before we head to church… We come home to a wonderful-smelling, perfectly roasted chicken for dinner! The smell excites everyone, and motivates the kids to help finish getting dinner on the table!

This has to be the easiest way to cook a whole chicken that I’ve ever heard of, and also one of my favorite tasting! All you need is a casserole dish, or roasting pan, a whole defrosted chicken, salt, and pepper! That’s it!

I like to roast this chicken on a candlestick to get the most crispy skin… Or if I’m really in a hurry, I just roast it in a 9×13 casserole dish…. But, roasting pans with a roasting rack are also excellent.

Keep Whole Chicken On Hand For Easy Dinners

I like to keep whole chickens in the deep freezer. Just take them out and set them on the counter the night before, so they are ready to go Sunday morning!

I usually stock up on whole chickens when they go on sale, but this year I’d like to try raising my own chickens!

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° . (If you have it, use convection mode!)

Remove thawed chicken from the plastic wrapper in the casserole dish. This is always a bit messy because the thawed chicken will have lots of juices in the bag too. That’s why I do this in the roasting pan. You can just keep the juices in the pan with the chicken because it provides a bit of moisture and makes great gravy!

Open the legs, and remove the gizzards inside the chicken. I throw these away, but if you like chicken gizzards, you can keep them in there or put in the pan with the chicken. Place chicken on its back, with legs on top, in your casserole dish. At this point, some people tie the bottoms of the drumsticks together with twine… but I just leave them. They turn out great without tying them!

Season your chicken. Salt and pepper the outside of your chicken! I like to salt and pepper the entire exterior of the chicken, but if you’re done handling it, just salt and pepper the top generously!

You can also use other seasonings… Thyme and Sage add great flavor! You can also add some potatoes to your roasting pan at this point for an easy meal!

Bake Roasted Chicken

Place your prepared chicken on the middle oven rack, in the center of your oven. If you have a convection oven use this mode!

Bake chicken for 2.5 – 3 hours, to an internal temp of at least 165°,  or until brown and crispy on the outside! I cook my chicken WELL DONE. So I roast it till the skin is brown and crispy on the outside. (My kids love the crispy seasoned chicken skin.)

Optional: *This is the best time to get potatoes in the Instapot, or Crockpot, so they’ll be ready to mash when the chicken is done!*

Resting Time

Allow your roast chicken to rest on a cutting board before carving for 15-20 minutes. This is a critical step, you don’t want to skip.

During roasting, the juices in the meat move towards the center of the chicken due to the high heat. Resting allows these juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it juicier and more flavorful.

Resting time allows the proteins to relax, resulting in a more tender and less chewy texture. This ensures that the meat is not tough when you carve it.

Allowing the chicken to rest before carving makes it easier to handle, reducing the risk of burns or accidents when cutting into the hot bird.

Rested chicken is easier to carve because the juices have settled, reducing the likelihood of a wet cutting board and dry meat.

How To Cut Roasted Chicken

First, Grab a serving plate to put the sliced chicken on.

Grab a fork and a good knife, and start by cutting the breasts out. I cut down the middle of the sternum bone, the cut around the sides to remove the breasts.

Slice breasts up for serving. (I usually cut chicken breasts into 4 -6 pieces each… Trying to keep the skin on top.)

Next, I cut the drumsticks off, at the joint between the drumstick and hip bone, and place on a serving platter… Kids love these!

Then, I cut thighs off… Usually, these will almost fall off so be careful if you want to keep them together.

After all that is done, I remove the meat from the back of the chicken.. There isn’t a lot, but it’s brown, moist, and tasty!

Put all your meat on the serving tray, and Enjoy!

What To Serve With Easy Roasted Chicken

I like to serve this easy roasted chicken with a salad, cooked veggies, and mashed potatoes with gravy, and rolls. Here are several side dishes that go great with roasted chicken dinners:

• Creamy Mashed Potatoes & From Scratch Gravy made from chicken drippings.
• Baked Potatoes
• Any kind of fresh salad.
• Steamed veggies: We keep frozen peas, corn, and mixed veggies on hand for this.
• Soft Sourdough Rolls
• A bowl of Pickled Beets or Olives.
• Homemade Rolls
• Deviled Eggs
• Grandma’s raspberry & cream jello.
• And of course, I usually do a dessert on Sundays… My favorite, and usual, is Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake! But when I’m being good, it’s a bowl of sliced-up Mellon!

Leftovers

Leftovers from roasting a whole chicken are great! You can make broth with the bones by simmering it on low all day, then turn that into chicken soup!

Use leftover chicken meat in a shepherd’s pie!

I like to use the leftover meat in chicken enchiladas too!

Chicken sandwiches are yummy for lunch.

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Easy Roast Chicken Recipe

The perfect roast chicken boasts a flawlessly crisp, golden-brown skin encasing succulent, juicy meat with a harmonious blend of seasoning

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 3 hours hours

Servings: 1 8 servings

Author: Juliea Huffaker

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Ingredients

• 1 whole defrosted chicken
• 1-2 tablespoons of coarse salt adjust to taste
• Pepper to taste
• *Optional seasonings: 1-2 teaspoons of thyme or sage or as desired

Instructions

• Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). If your oven has a convection mode, it's recommended to use it for even cooking.
• Prepare the Chicken: Remove the thawed chicken from the plastic wrapper. This can be a bit messy due to the juices. Consider doing this in a roasting pan to retain the juices, which can be used for making gravy. If desired, open the legs and remove the gizzards from inside the chicken. Place the chicken on its back with the legs on top in your casserole dish or roasting pan.
• Season the Chicken: Generously season the chicken by salting and peppering the exterior. You can also add optional seasonings like thyme and sage for added flavor. If you wish, you can add potatoes to the roasting pan for a complete meal.
• Bake the Chicken: Place the prepared chicken in the center of the oven, on the middle oven rack. If you have a convection oven, use this mode for more even cooking. Bake the chicken for 2.5 to 3 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) or until the skin is brown and crispy on the outside. Roasting time may vary depending on the size of the chicken.
• Optional: While the chicken is roasting, this is a good time to prepare potatoes in your Instapot or Crockpot, so they'll be ready to serve alongside the chicken.
• Rest the Chicken: Once the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and tent it with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 10-20 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in juicier, more tender meat.
• Carve and serve your delicious, crispy-skinned, and perfectly roasted chicken. Enjoy!

Notes

• Cooking Time Variation: The cooking time can vary depending on the size of the chicken. It’s crucial to use an instant-read meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F (74°C). Adjust the cooking time accordingly for larger or smaller birds. Roasting a whole chicken at 350°F (175°C) is the preferred temperature because it allows for even cooking, keeping the chicken moist and tender. Roasting at 400°F can lead to drier meat.
• Basting: Some cooks like to baste the chicken with its juices or with melted butter during the roasting process. Basting can add more flavor and moisture to the chicken.
• Crispy Skin: To achieve a truly crispy skin, ensure that the chicken is dry before seasoning and roasting. Excess moisture on the skin can hinder crisping.
• Flavor Variations: Feel free to get creative with the seasonings. You can add garlic, paprika, rosemary, or your favorite herbs and spices to the seasoning mix for a unique flavor.
• Safety: Always handle chicken with care to prevent cross-contamination. Wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces thoroughly after handling raw poultry.
• Resting Time: Do not skip the resting time; it’s essential for the best results. Resting allows the chicken juices to redistribute, making the meat juicier and more tender.