Here’s a detailed, reliable roast chicken recipe you can make at home—crispy skin, juicy meat, and simple ingredients.
🍗 Classic Roast Chicken (Whole)
🛒 Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (1.5–2 kg)
- 2–3 tbsp olive oil or melted butter
- 1–1.5 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika (optional, for color)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (or 4–5 fresh garlic cloves)
- 1 lemon (halved)
- Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, or parsley)
- 1 onion (quartered)
- 1–2 carrots (optional)
- 1 potato (optional, chopped)
🔥 Step-by-Step Method
1. Prep the chicken
- Remove giblets from inside the chicken (if any).
- Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels (this helps crisp skin).
- Let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes for even cooking.
2. Season well
- Rub the chicken all over with olive oil or melted butter.
- Mix salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder, then rub it all over the skin.
- Gently lift the skin on the breast and rub a bit of seasoning underneath too (this keeps meat juicy).
3. Stuff the cavity
Put inside the chicken:
- Lemon halves
- Fresh herbs
- Onion quarters
This adds flavor from the inside while roasting.
4. Prepare roasting tray
- Place carrots, potatoes, and onion pieces in a roasting pan.
- Put a rack on top if available, then place chicken on it (or directly on vegetables).
5. Roast
Preheat oven to 200°C (392°F).
- Roast for 20 minutes at 200°C
- Then reduce to 180°C (356°F)
- Continue roasting for 50–70 minutes
👉 General rule: 20 minutes per 500g + extra 20 minutes
6. Check doneness
Chicken is ready when:
- Skin is golden brown and crispy
- Juices run clear when pierced
- Internal temperature reaches 75°C in the thickest part of the thigh
7. Rest the chicken
- Remove from oven and cover loosely with foil.
- Rest for 10–15 minutes before cutting (keeps it juicy).
🍽️ Serving ideas
- Serve with roasted vegetables from the pan
- Mashed potatoes or rice
- Garlic butter sauce or gravy
💡 Pro Tips
- Dry skin = crispy skin (don’t skip drying step)
- Butter under the skin = extra juicy breast meat
- Basting once or twice during roasting improves flavor
- Don’t overcook or it becomes dry
If you want, I can also give you:
- 🔥 Air fryer roast chicken version
- 🌶️ Spicy Pakistani-style roast chicken
- 🧄 Garlic butter roast chicken with gravy
Just tell me 👍