• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Dinner at the Zoo

  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • One Pot Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Asian Food

Home » Dinner » Roasted Chicken with Garlic and Herbs

Published: January 3, 2019 Last Modified: September 22, 2019 By Sara 128 Comments

Roasted Chicken with Garlic and Herbs

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Roasted Chicken Recipe | Whole Roasted Chicken | Roast Chicken #chicken #dinner #lowcarb #keto #dinneratthezoo

This roasted chicken is coated in a garlic and herb butter, then cooked to golden brown perfection. My roast chicken is tender and juicy and it comes out perfect every time!

There’s nothing more satisfying than a whole roasted chicken – it feeds a crowd, looks impressive and tastes amazing. Serve your roast chicken with loaded corn casserole and zucchini gratin for a complete meal.

Roasted Chicken Recipe | Whole Roasted Chicken | Roast Chicken #chicken #dinner #lowcarb #keto #dinneratthezoo Roasted Chicken Recipe | Whole Roasted Chicken | Roast Chicken #chicken #dinner #lowcarb #keto #dinneratthezoo

A roasted chicken in a pan garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs.

Roasted chicken is one of those comfort food classics that no one can resist. That being said, it’s so easy to either under cook or over cook a whole chicken. No one wants a chicken that’s super dry, or raw in the middle! This roast chicken is a foolproof way to have a delicious dinner on the table that will earn you rave reviews.

How do you make roasted chicken?

This recipe starts with an herb and garlic butter, which gets slathered all over a whole chicken. Be sure to loosen the skin of the chicken so that you can rub some of the butter in between the skin and the meat. The chicken goes into a pan and is roasted in the oven until golden brown.

Butter, garlic, fresh minced herbs and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.

How long do you roast a chicken?

Generally speaking, a whole chicken needs to cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes per pound. I cook my chicken at a higher temperature to get that deep golden brown skin, so it should take more like 15-17 minutes per pound.

How do you prepare a chicken for roasting?

To prepare a chicken for roasting, you’ll want to remove the giblet bag if there’s one stuffed into the chicken cavity. The next step is to tuck the wings underneath the breast to prevent the wing tips from burning. Finally, fill your chicken cavity with aromatics like onion, lemon and herbs, then tie the legs together with kitchen twine.

A raw chicken stuffed with lemon, onion and herbs.

Do you have to brine a roasted chicken?

You do not have to brine a chicken, that being said, I highly recommend taking the time to do it. Chicken is a naturally lean type of meat which mean it’s prone to drying out. When a chicken is placed into brine, it absorbs some of the brine which helps to both keep it moist and also to season it all the way through.

When you’re working with a brined chicken, even if you overcook it a bit, it should still come out tender and juicy. I’ve included my favorite chicken brine in the recipe card below. If you choose to brine your chicken, be sure to add minimal salt to your seasoned butter so that your final product is not overly salted.

A raw whole chicken coated in garlic and herb butter.

How do you know when a roasted chicken is done?

The easiest way to tell when your roasted chicken is done is to use a thermometer. A chicken is safe to eat when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken thigh reads 165 degrees F. I use an electronic probe thermometer which I insert into the chicken at the beginning of the cook time, and I monitor the progress throughout so that I know when to pull my chicken out of the oven.

Carved roasted chicken on a serving platter with fresh herbs.

Let me just tell you, this roasted chicken is the best chicken I’ve ever had. It’s so worth it to take the extra step of brining the chicken first, because it means that your meat will be perfectly seasoned through and through. I make this roasted chicken almost every week, and the leftovers are great for sandwiches, soups, pasta dishes and more. Your family is sure to love this roast chicken as much as my family does!

More delicious chicken dishes

  • Mexican Chicken Soup
  • Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
  • Cajun Chicken Pasta
  • Bacon Wrapped Chicken
  • Honey Mustard Chicken

Roasted Chicken Video


A roasted chicken in a pan garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs.
Print Pin
5 from 47 votes

Roasted Chicken

This roasted chicken is coated in a garlic and herb butter, then cooked to golden brown perfection. My roast chicken is tender and juicy and it comes out perfect every time!
Course Main
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Brining Time 8 hours
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 404kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe chicken brine optional but highly recommended
  • 5 lb whole chicken
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 onion peeled and quartered
  • 1 lemon quartered
  • 6 tablespoons butter softened
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves minced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves minced
  • salt and pepper to taste go easy on the salt if you've brined your chicken

Instructions

  • Brine the chicken according to recipe directions. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels after it's done brining.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Tuck the chicken wings underneath the breast. Stuff the chicken cavity with the rosemary and thyme sprigs, onion and lemon.
  • Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine.
  • Place the butter, garlic, minced thyme, rosemary and parsley, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine.
  • Loosen the skin of the chicken breast. Rub the butter mixture all over the chicken, both on the outside of the chicken and underneath the skin.
  • Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Cook for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. 
  • Check on your chicken every 20 minutes - if the skin is getting overly dark, cover the chicken with foil.
  • Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with pan drippings.

Nutrition

Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 394mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 705IU | Vitamin C: 16.3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @DinnerAtTheZoo or tag #dinneratthezoo!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Comfort Food, Dinner, Featured Recipes, Gluten Free

FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

    ​
    ​

    Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

    « Arroz con Pollo
    20 Healthy Recipes »

    Comments

    1. Jessica Streech says

      July 26, 2021 at 8:30 pm

      5 stars
      This is sooooo good! I’ve been asked multiple times to make it for extended family and given out the recipe for the brine. I use it regularly and the leftovers make fantastic casseroles and the bones make unbelievable broth! Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Michele says

      July 12, 2021 at 11:18 am

      5 stars
      I am currently brining two 5 lb chickens. Need to decide whether to let them sit in brine for 4 hours (dinner tonight) or 30 hours (tomorrow night) before roasting. Advice?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        July 12, 2021 at 7:01 pm

        Do you have a single batch of brine or a double batch of brine for two chickens?

        Reply
    3. danielle says

      May 26, 2021 at 9:08 am

      I started brining the chicken early this AM and can’t wait to try this recipe tonight!! I’ve never roasted a whole chicken before but both the brining and the roasting recipe were easy to follow and made me feel like a pro. The only thing I’m concerned about is that I don’t have a roasting pan or cast iron, should I get one or is it okay to use glass pan or cookie sheet this one time?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        May 26, 2021 at 10:13 am

        Any pan with at least a 1 inch edge is fine, don’t use a cookie sheet as the juices will run off into the oven!

        Reply
    4. AC says

      May 2, 2021 at 7:30 am

      I’m looking for the nutritional information. You state 404 kcal which is equivalent to 404,000 calories. I’m sure that is not right???

      Reply
      • Sara says

        May 2, 2021 at 8:31 pm

        Kcal is another term for calories

        Reply
    5. Irina says

      April 6, 2021 at 12:45 pm

      5 stars
      I have been looking for the best roasted chicken recipe since I tried it once at our friends. Unfortunately, they keep that recipe secret. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! 🙂 I followed it word by word, and it turned out perfectly delicious!!!

      Reply
      • Tiffany says

        May 9, 2021 at 2:38 pm

        Hi, my family and I loved your recipe but I found the skin pulled away and wasn’t as beautiful and glazed as yours. Any tips on getting the skin perfect?

        Thanks for the recipe!

        Reply
        • Sara says

          May 9, 2021 at 7:18 pm

          Sometimes that just happens if the skin doesn’t completely cover the breast or is torn from packaging. To fix this in the future you can put a few toothpicks in the skin to hold it in place!

          Reply
    6. Chrissy says

      April 4, 2021 at 6:37 pm

      5 stars
      Fan-tab-ulous! Never used brine before.
      The chicken was delicious..my kids loved it. Will make it again and recommend to others. I did have to cook it for an additional 30 minutes, but no big deal, it turned out perfect.

      Reply
    7. Molly Beluse says

      March 20, 2021 at 5:25 pm

      5 stars
      I made this a few weeks ago and it was delicious, perfectly roasted and juicy. I want to do the same thing but with chicken thighs only, how long should I brine?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        March 20, 2021 at 8:36 pm

        I’d do 6-8 hours!

        Reply
    8. Biana says

      March 18, 2021 at 5:45 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! This chicken looks amazing, so juicy and delicious. Will be using this recipe very soon.

      Reply
    9. Marian says

      February 28, 2021 at 4:15 pm

      5 stars
      OMG!! After years of reading about brining turkeys and wondering what all the fuss is about, I am now a complete convert. Stumbled on your site and recipe, decided to give it a whirl on a scaled down bird. Fantastic. Ten stars. Will never roast another chicken without brining and next Thanksgiving’s turkey is in my sights.

      Reply
    10. Katie says

      February 15, 2021 at 8:58 pm

      This looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it. Can I use a dutch oven instead of a roasting pan?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        February 16, 2021 at 7:35 pm

        Yes that should be fine!

        Reply
    11. Stephanie M says

      January 24, 2021 at 6:18 am

      I can’t wait to make this! I have dried herbs. Will those be ok? Also should I place the chicken breast down and on a rack in my roasting pan? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Sara says

        January 24, 2021 at 5:19 pm

        Dried herbs should work, use 1/3 of the amount of fresh. A rack is fine, but I’ve never cooked a chicken with the breast down so I can’t recommend that!

        Reply
    12. Kimi says

      December 26, 2020 at 8:55 am

      Have you ever used apple cider in your brine? I’ve heard great things.

      Also what is your opinion on a spatchcocked chicken. I know it cuts down on time. But then idk if I can stuff it?

      Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 26, 2020 at 11:28 am

        You can replace 1 cup of water with 1 cup of apple cider. A spatchcocked chicken cooks faster but you wouldn’t be able to stuff it. This roasted chicken recipe assumes that you’re cooking an unstuffed chicken so you’d need to adjust the time here too.

        Reply
      • June says

        January 4, 2021 at 11:51 pm

        AMAZING! I am so glad I stumbled upon this recipe. Will definitely be making this more often! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Erika says

      November 25, 2020 at 10:05 pm

      5 stars
      My beautiful whole chicken bought fresh from the butcher’s shop is currently being brined! Was curious how much salt you’d recommend adding after the brine though? I have a 4 lb chicken. But I’m so excited to roast it tomorrow, thank so much for this recipe! 🙂

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 25, 2020 at 10:51 pm

        I’d go with about 1/2 teaspoon on the outside of the chicken!

        Reply
    14. Sol says

      November 22, 2020 at 2:22 pm

      If I wanted to use this recipe to roast a chicken in a roasting pan on top of vegetables, would that change how I should cook it or can I still just follow this recipe? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 22, 2020 at 7:37 pm

        You can follow the recipe just cut your veggies on the larger side so they don’t overcook in the time it takes for the chicken to cook through!

        Reply
    15. Darlene Russell says

      November 11, 2020 at 10:03 am

      where is the brine part of the recipe?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 11, 2020 at 5:04 pm

        You can find my chicken brine here: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/chicken-brine-recipe/

        Reply
    16. Jody says

      October 31, 2020 at 5:47 pm

      Because I inject the breast with a seasoned butter mixture, I normally brine my chicken in butter milk, just so I dnt over salt the bird. Your recipe is almost identical to mine. My herb mixture changes depending on what I have on hand though. I’ll even stuff it with everything you used and an apple. I know this recipe is the bomb. Looks really good.

      Reply
    17. Brandon Palmero says

      October 27, 2020 at 2:10 pm

      5 stars
      How do you get the butter to stick lol? I could not get it as thick as the picture, most just slid right off. I even tried patting the chicken dry.

      Reply
      • Sara says

        October 27, 2020 at 4:31 pm

        You want to make sure the butter is very soft, then quickly spread it onto the chicken. If it’s sticky you can coat the back of your spoon or spatula with nonstick cooking spray. Once the butter is in place it tends to solidify since the chicken is cold, you don’t want to touch it at that point or it will just crack and come off!

        Reply
        • Brandon says

          October 28, 2020 at 8:46 pm

          Thank you!

          Reply
    18. Ellen says

      October 20, 2020 at 10:45 am

      How much salt and pepper would you use for a chicken that has not been brined?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        October 21, 2020 at 4:19 pm

        Depending on the size of the bird, it likely needs 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

        Reply
    19. Jay says

      August 23, 2020 at 12:39 pm

      5 stars
      I cooked this recipe this morning. It came out really well – after first brining it overnight. It is really juicy. The smell of it roasting in the oven was driving everyone crazy. I might have used a tad too much Rosemary as that flavor was pretty dominate. In a few minutes, I am going to debone what’s left and put it away for use this week. Hope I can find a Chicken & Rice Casserole type recipe(s) here!

      Reply
    20. Jennifer says

      July 19, 2020 at 12:17 pm

      Do you use salted or unsalted butter? I am brining my chicken tonight

      Reply
      • Sara says

        July 19, 2020 at 3:14 pm

        I typically use salted butter but either will work!

        Reply
    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More

    Spring Recipes

    A bowl of strawberry spinach salad with poppy seed dressing, feta cheese and sliced avocado.

    Strawberry Spinach Salad

    A bowl of tropical fruit salad with mango, raspberries, papaya, kiwi and pineapple tossed in honey lime dressing.

    Tropical Fruit Salad

    A berry salad with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries all in a honey based dressing.

    Berry Fruit Salad

    A pitcher of strawberry lemonade garnished with sliced lemons and mint.

    Strawberry Lemonade

    Chicken and green beans coated in honey garlic sauce.

    Chicken and Green Beans

    A skillet of glazed carrots with brown sugar and butter sauce.

    Glazed Carrots

    More Posts from this Category

    Featured Recipes

    A spoon serving up a portion of hamburger casserole made with pasta and melted cheese.

    Hamburger Casserole

    Hamburger steak topped with mushroom gravy and chopped parsley.

    Hamburger Steak with Mushroom Gravy

    Instant Pot pot roast with carrots and potatoes, all topped with parsley.

    Instant Pot Pot Roast

    Kung pao beef with peppers and peanuts in a saute pan.

    Kung Pao Beef

    FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

    Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

      ​
      ​

      Categories

      Sites I am featured In
      PRIVACY POLICY ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT © Sara Welch and Dinner at the Zoo® LLC, 2015-2022.
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • RSS
      • Twitter
      • About Me
      • Contact Me
      • All Recipes
      • Dinner
      • Appetizers
      • Dessert
      • One Pot Meals
      • Slow Cooker
      • Asian Food