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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.
I absolutely love roast chicken, it’s one of my families favourite meals!
I need to roast a chicken soon. YUM! 🙂
This is always one of our favorite meals, so easy & delicious. We love to wrap the chicken in foil & throw it on the grill!
Rosemary and sage are my go-to herbs for roasted chicken. My mouth is watering!
This is just beautiful! Grandpas are so funny and so wise! How could you argue with that!?
LOL I don’t want hair on my chest BUT I do love a good tasty crispy chicken skin 😉 I recently made a roast chicken and am dying to make one for the blog. Yours looks insanely delicious.
Gorgeous, Brandy!
Brandy — Roast chicken is a fave in our house too. I’ve never tried it like this though. Steve Farris let me know about your site. It is unbeliveable! This is Jenny your across the parking lot neighbor in 1A. If you get a chance stop on over to http://www.thenymelrosefamily.blogspot.com. I’m so glad he told me about Nutmeg Nanny.
Jenny
A classic roast chicken is always a favorite over here too!
You are absolutely right – there is nothing more classic (or comforting) than a roast chicken with all the fixins (as we say in Texas). I’ve been meaning to teach my sister how to make one. Thanks for the inspiration!