I love a good roasted chicken. This was something my family had often for dinner growing up. It comes out juicy, goes great with everything and is super versatile in terms of flavor combinations you can come up with. A roasted chicken also requires minimal time to prep and cooks in roughly about an hour to an hour and a half, which is mainly hands off time, so you’re able to focus on other things that need to be done.

Rule of thumb for how long to roast your chicken in the oven :
15-20 minutes PER POUND of your full chicken.
So if you have a 5 pound chicken, you will cook for a minimum of 1 hour and 15 minutes.

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INGREDIENTS :

• Full Chicken, giblets removed if there are any
• Salt and Pepper
• Mayonnaise
• Garlic Powder (optional)
• Onion Powder (optional)
• Paprika (optional)
• Lemon Slices (optional)
• Juice from 1 Lemon
• Herbs of choice such as : Rosemary, Sage, Thyme

STEPS :

1. Preheat your oven to 385 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Begin by using a paper towel to remove some of the natural chicken juices from your chicken. DO NOT wash your raw meat in your kitchen sink! This only spreads bacteria throughout your sink, countertops and the air. You do not need to wash raw meat unless it has fallen on the ground. Separate the skin over the breasts with your hands. This should be easy to do, although the middle membrane may need to be torn a little in order to allow a single pocket as opposed to two that are being split by the breast bone. This action will allow you to add the marinade to the meat under the skin so that the flavor is not all concentrated solely on top of the skin.
3. Salt and pepper your chicken on both sides AND inside the chicken cavity. The cavity is the open hole between the legs of your chicken. You may find the chickens giblets here OR they may be hidden under the skin flap of where the chicken neck would be. Please REMOVE any giblets or organ bags before cooking your chicken. At this time, you can add your optional seasonings such as garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, or any other seasonings you wish to use such as lemon pepper seasoning, creole seasoning, etc. If adding additional seasonings, make sure you add it to BOTH sides of the chicken, front and back, as well as inside the cavity.
4. Cut your lemon in half and slice off a few pieces to put under the skin. Finely chop your chosen herbs, such as rosemary, thyme or sage. Adding a few pieces of lemon under the skin is optional. Set your 2 lemon halves and chopped herbs aside for now.
5. Add a coupe of tablespoons of mayonnaise to your seasoned chicken and top with your chopped herbs. Begin rubbing the mayo into the seasoning and all over and inside the chicken. Making sure to get it under the skin along the bare breasts as well. Do this all over. Front, back, sides and inside the cavity. Don’t be afraid to use your hands. You will wash them directly after you’re done with the marinade. The mayonnaise will act as not only a binding agent for your seasoning on the chicken but it will also insure that your meat is kept juicy throughout. For anyone with a mayonnaise aversion, remember that mayo is just oil, eggs and lemon juice that has been whipped into a single mass.
6. Once you’re done rubbing in your seasoned mayonnaise all over your chicken, go ahead and squeeze some lemon juice inside the chicken cavity and transfer the chicken to your baking apparatus. Squeeze the rest of your lemon(s) along the top of your chicken coat. You can then just toss your lemons halves straight into the pan with your chicken. I like using a dutch oven for this. You will need something with a lid OR you can top your pan with aluminum foil for the initial hour cook time. This will prevent your chicken from burning.
7. Bake your chicken, covered, for 1 hour, then remove the lid or foil and baste your chicken with the juices in the pan. Continue baking, uncovered, until your chicken reaches 165 degrees internal temperature. Baste every 10-15 minutes during uncovered cooking time. Cook the chicken for 15-20 minutes PER EACH POUND of your total chicken weight.
8. Once chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally, remove from the oven and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, otherwise when you slice into it, the juices will pour out of your meat and leave it dry.
9. Enjoy with a variety of sides. We prefer potatoes and a side salad.

Start by drying your chicken with a paper towel and then separating the skin from the breasts and breast bone.

Season your chicken with salt and pepper and other seasonings such as garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Seasonings aside from salt and pepper are optional.

Make sure you season your chicken all over. Front, back, sides and inside the cavity. Add your chopped herbs at this time as well. Add your mayonnaise at this time and use your hands to fully coat the chicken in the seasonings and mayo mixture all over.

Slide a few lemon slices under the skin of the chicken, along the breasts. Make sure you add your seasoned mayonnaise under the skin as well. This will allow direct contact with the meat which will flavor the chicken further as opposed to all the flavor just sitting on top of the chicken skin. Adding the lemon slices under the skin is optional, but preferred.

Transfer seasoned chicken to your baking dish/pan and squeeze your lemon on top. You can toss your lemon halves right along side the chicken inside the baking dish. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bake at 385 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour.

After your initial one hour cooking time, remove your lid and baste your chicken with the juices that are inside the pan. Then proceed cooking your chicken, uncovered, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Baste your chicken every 10-15 minutes during uncovered cooking time. This will prevent the skin and outer part of the meat from burning and drying out.

Once your chicken reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, go ahead and remove it from your oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes and then feel free to carve into it and enjoy!

LINKS TO PRODUCTS I LOVED USING IN THIS RECIPE :

Le Creuset Dutch Oven – https://amzn.to/4eOnfX8

Meat Thermometer – https://amzn.to/4fHCq5F