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This classic roast chicken turns out perfect every single time. It is stuffed with lots of fresh lemon, rosemary, thyme, and sage and seasoned simply with kosher salt and pepper.
Classic roast chicken is one of the most comforting dishes that will turn out perfect time and time again!
This recipe isn’t just easy, it’s packed full of herb and lemon flavor. My favorite combination of herbs is fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme. It’s a classic pairing that goes perfect with zesty lemon.
I’m alos keeping this simple by using just kosher salt and black pepper. It might sound basic but basic doens’t mean flavorful! Remember, classics are classic for a reason!
I like to cook this in a large Dutch oven but if you don’t have one you can cook this in a 9×13 casserole dish, a roasting pan, or even a high sided sheet pan.
Ingredients needed
- Whole chicken
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Lemon
- Fresh sage
- Fresh rosemary
- Fresh thyme
- Dry white wine
How to make
The thing I love most about making roast chicken is how easy it is to throw it all together! I always thought roasting a whole bird would be intimidating until I tried it. It’s so easy – scouts honor!
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
- Remove the giblets from your chicken and pat the chicken dry. This helps the spices to stick to the outside of the bird.
- Generously sprinkle the outside and inside of the bird with kosher salt and black pepper, then add it to a large Dutch oven.
- Stuff the chicken with lemon and herbs. If all the lemons and herbs don’t fit inside the chicken, arrange them around it in the Dutch oven.
- Pour the white wine around the chicken and add to the preheated oven.
- Cook at 450 degrees F for 25 minutes, reduce the heat, and roast for another hour until the chicken is internally 165 degrees F.
- Rest for 15 minutes and carve.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Use high-quality chicken since this is the start of the show. You can use a smaller chicken but must adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- You can use whatever mix of herbs you enjoy the most. Other great options are oregano, marjoram, or whole green onions.
- DON’T SKIP THE RESTING STAGE! This helps the chicken stay super juicy and moist.
- Add garlic cloves and quartered yellow onion to the bird’s cavity for added flavor.
What to serve with roast chicken
The thing I love most about roast chicken is how simple it is. It’s so delicious that you can serve it with just about anything you desire! However, here are a few delicious side dishes that pair wonderfully with classic roast chicken.
Vegetable sides
Carb sides
Salad sides
More Chicken Recipes
Classic Roast Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 pound whole chicken, giblets removed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 whole lemons, quartered
- 1 large sprig fresh sage
- 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 large sprig fresh thyme
- ½ cup dry white wine
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Remove giblets from chicken and and pat the chicken dry. Add the chicken to a 5-7 quart Dutch oven.
- Liberally sprinkle the inside and outside of the chicken cavity with kosher salt and pepper. Stuff the chicken with lemon and herbs.
- Pour white wine into the bottom of the Dutch oven and add to oven.
- Cook for 25 minutes at 450 degrees F and lower the temperature to 375 degrees F. Roast for 60 minutes or until a meat thermometer register 165 degrees F when tested into the middle of the thigh meat.
- Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Pepper, Rosemary and Sage.. Mmmm.. Bet this tasted delicious.
Mmm…now I’m in the mood for chicken. This sounds really good. Do you have suggestions for what to use the chicken leftovers in during the rest of the week?
Hi Windy,
I like to use my leftover chicken by making chicken noodle soup, potato hash but instead of corn beef I use the chicken and lastly I really like a good homemade chicken salad. Enjoy!!!
it looks delicious! I love a good cooked bird, and what better way to have chicken then to share it with family, just pop into oven and let it do its thing! such a simple way to entertain! it gets my vote!
Roast chicken makes such a good comfort food dish. It has the added bonus of making your house smell so wonderful. Your chicken looks delish and I too love the crispy skin.
This sounds really good – so simple and perfect for a rainy Sunday!
This looks so comforting and delicious!
Do you cook it covered or uncovered? Would this work in a dutch oven?
I’ve made this several times using your recipe and it turns out wonderful every time! Making it again right now and wanted to say thank you for sharing!
Love this!! Lemon in roast chicken or turkey is a must for me!