Easy Dutch oven whole roast chicken with the crispiest golden skin is super juicy, tender and succulent. It’s packed with incredible flavour from garlic, lemon, and apples. Throw in some potato and carrots for a complete one pot meal that is sure to impress. The best part? This fancy meal takes just 15 minutes to prep. You’re welcome.
Ingredients
- whole chicken
- olive oil
- Italian seasoning - to season the chicken.
- salt and pepper - to season the chicken.
- apple - to stuff the cavity.
- yellow onion - to stuff the cavity.
- garlic - to stuff the cavity.
- lemon juice
- melted butter - helps get the skin extra crispy.
- carrots
- potato
- parsley
You will also need a 4 qt. Dutch oven (or you can make it in a roasting pan), kitchen string, and a digital meat thermometer.
How to Make the Best Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken
First, pat dry the whole chicken completely with a paper towel before adding seasoning. This helps achieve an extra crispy skin when roasting.
Then, prepare the seasoning mixture by combining olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Generously smear the seasoning mixture over the whole chicken inside and out, including the inside cavity of the chicken.
Stuff the cavity of the chicken with half the apples, half of the onion, and half of the garlic. Next, truss the chicken by tying the chicken snugly with kitchen string so that the wings and legs stay close to the body. This helps cook the whole chicken evenly.
Then prepare the vegetables by tossing together lemon juice, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and remaining vegetables (carrots, apples, onions, garlic and potatoes) in a large mixing bowl.
Spread the vegetables evenly on the bottom of the Dutch oven and place the whole chicken on top. Make sure the breasts of the chicken face upward. Brush the outside of the chicken evenly with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter. Cover the lid and roast the chicken for 30 minutes in a preheated 400 F oven.
Remove the lid and continue to cook for another 20-25 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F. You can check the internal temperature by sticking a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast.
Pro tip: To make chicken skins extra crispy and browned, turn the broiler on to high and broil for another 3-5 minutes.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving because the chicken is still cooking gradually due to the residual heat.
How to Serve Whole Roasted Chicken
Serve roasted chicken with the vegetables from the pan, a sprinkle of parsley and a drizzle of extra juices from the pan on top. This recipe is perfect to serve for a small, intimate Thanksgiving meal when there aren’t enough mouths to eat a whole roast turkey.
I also like to pair it with creamy mashed potatoes or savoury mashed sweet potatoes sand a roasted butternut squash soup on the side.
How to Use Leftover Roast Chicken
- Throw it into pasta. Try it with creamy alfredo with spinach and mushrooms or baked pasta with chicken.
- Top it on salad. Try it on a Mediterranean chickpea wedge salad with hummus dressing or check out my other favourite salad recipes.
- Add it on pizza. My favourite is 30-minute BBQ chicken pizza.
- Stuff it in a baked potato. Try BBQ chicken stuffed baked potatoes.
- Use it in soup or stew. Try it in lemon chicken orzo soup or Indian butter chicken.
Tips for Making Whole Roast Chicken
- How to get extra crispy skin: Pat dry the chicken first for extra crispy skin. For even crispier skin, store the dry chicken uncovered on a plate in the refrigerator overnight.
- How to get crispy charred skin: You can take it a step further and broil the chicken on high for 3-5 minutes after it is done roasting. But be sure to check it often when broiling because things happen fast and just one minute can make the difference between perfectly charred and burnt.
- How to cook whole chicken in a roast pan: Place vegetables in a roasting pan and spread evenly. Place the chicken on top. Roast at 400 F for 1 hour until the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165F.
More Chicken Recipes
- Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
- One Pan Garlic Roasted Chicken and Baby Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
- Roasted Balsamic Chicken with Cranberries
- Meal Prep Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables
- One Pot Spanish Chicken and Rice
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Recipe
Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 whole chicken
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Easy Dutch oven whole roast chicken with the crispiest golden skin is juicy, tender and succulent and packed with flavour. Just takes 15 minutes to prep.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (3 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 apple, sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 1 head garlic, cut in half
- juice from ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons melted butter, divided
- 2 carrots, chopped into 2-inch long pieces
- 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Bring the chicken out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes), this will ensure even cooking. Pat dry the whole chicken completely with a paper towel before adding seasoning. This helps create an extra crispy skin when roasting.
- In a small bowl, add olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and mix well with a spoon to combine. Generously smear the seasoning mixture over the whole chicken inside and out. Using disposable gloves to make it easier. Make sure the seasoning covers all over the whole chicken including the inside cavity of the chicken.
- Stuff the cavity of the chicken with half the apples, half of the onion, and half of the garlic.
- Truss the chicken by tying the chicken snugly with kitchen string so that the wings and legs stay close to the body. This helps cook the whole chicken evenly.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and remaining vegetables (carrots, apples, onions, garlic and potatoes). Toss to combine.
- Spread the vegetables evenly inside the Dutch oven and place the whole chicken on top. Make sure the breasts of the chicken face upward. Brush the outside of the chicken evenly with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter. Cover the lid and roast the chicken for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 165F, about 20-25 minutes more. You can check the internal temperature by sticking a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast.
- To make chicken skins extra crispy and browned, turn on the broil setting to HI and let it broil in the oven for additional 5 minutes. Brush extra melted butter over the skin.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving because the chicken is still cooking gradually due to the residual heat.
- Serve with the vegetables, a sprinkle of parsley and a drizzle of extra juices from the pan on top.
Notes
How to get extra crispy skin: Pat dry the chicken first for extra crispy skin. For even crispier skin, store the dry chicken uncovered on a plate in the refrigerator overnight.
How to get crispy charred skin: You can take it a step further and broil the chicken on high for 3-5 minutes after it is done roasting. But be sure to check it often when broiling because things happen fast and just one minute can make the difference between perfectly charred and burnt.
How to cook whole chicken in a roast pan: Place vegetables in a roasting pan and spread evenly. Place the chicken on top. Roast at 400 F for 1 hour until the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165F.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Rest Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
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sally adelblue says
Best recipe yet for a whole roast chicken in my Dutch oven! Simple, quick, moist and delicious every time!
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Wow thank you so much Sally!
Rebecca W. says
Easy and delicious. Made great left over chicken sandwiches the next day.
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much Rebecca! So glad you liked the recipe.
Christie H Craig says
Hi. I love roasting chicken and will try this recipe tomorrow. I would love to see demo of your trussing technique.
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you for the suggestion! Will work on making a video for this one. Let me know how the recipe turned out for you.
Alison says
Delicious. The chicken is moist, the skin is crispy, and the veggies are tender. This is my new go-to for a roasted chicken. Thank you!!
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much Alison! Enjoy!
Jon Mehlhoff says
So I started cooking this at 4:20 pm. It is now 7:11 and back in the oven. I know a whole chicken, unstuffed, takes an hour and 15 minutes on the Traeger. I am not sure where these cooking times are coming from, but they are not accurate. Maybe these cooking times are metric?
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Hmm, that is strange. How big was your chicken? This recipe is for a small 3 lb. chicken. It should take about an hour to cook, possibly up to an hour 30 minutes for a 3.5 lb. chicken.
Jennifer says
Are you using a 4 qt or a 5.5 qt in the pictures? Didn't think you could roast a whole chicken in the 4 qt, but that would be great if you could!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
I am using a 4 qt. The 3 lb. chicken fit in perfectly.