Roasted Whole Chicken

Enjoy easy and flavorful roasted chicken for a meal and use the tender meat to prep for other recipes.

Prep time: 5 to 10 minutes

Cook time: 1 ½ hours

Makes: 4 to 6 cups cooked chicken

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, 4 to 6 pounds
1 to 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 to 2 teaspoons each salt and pepper

Wash hands and sink with soap and water. Place a waste container near the sink and a towel-covered cutting board or baking sheet on a counter next to the sink. If there are inside chicken parts that you plan to use, place a bowl for them on the counter.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Stand the chicken package in the sink and cut open the top end. Lift the chicken by the drumsticks and let it drip for about a minute. Throw away the package. Do not wash or rinse the chicken to avoid further contaminating the sink and counters.
While holding the other end of the chicken, remove all parts from the center cavity and throw away or place in the bowl.
Place the chicken on the cutting board or baking sheet. Pat the skin dry with a clean towel or let it sit a few minutes to dry. Brush the outside of the chicken with oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper, inside and out.
Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan, ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven. Wash hands with soap and water.
Roast the chicken uncovered for 80 minutes (1 hour 20 minutes). Check the temperature with a food thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and thigh. It is safely cooked at 165 degrees F. If the temperature is lower, roast for another 10 minutes and check again.
When done, remove pan from the oven and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes:

After sprinkling chicken with salt and pepper, try filling the cavity with any combination of fresh or dried herbs such as parsley, rosemary, bay leaf and garlic.
If your chicken is smaller or larger, it may take less or more time to cook. Each pound of whole chicken will provide 1 to 1 ¼ cups of cooked chicken pulled from the bones.
You can make a flavorful chicken broth from the bones and skin of the chicken. After removing meat, add bones and skin to a large pot. Add 1 to 2 cups of chopped vegetables or vegetable scraps such as celery, carrots, onion, garlic and herbs to the pot. Cover all with 8 to 10 cups of water. Heat to a boil then reduce heat to simmer, covered, for about 3 hours. Check every 45 minutes to an hour to stir. Add water if needed to keep bones under water. Remove from the heat to cool for about 15 minutes. Strain, transfer to smaller containers and refrigerate until cool. Skim fat from the surface and refrigerate. Use stock within 5 days or freeze in labeled airtight containers for longer storage. For best quality, use within 6 months.

Want to learn more about this topic? Explore more resources from OSU Extension: Recipes