Easy Whole Roast Chicken with Herb Butter (Simple Christmas Dinner Main)

This whole roast chicken has golden, crispy skin, juicy meat and a simple garlic herb butter that does most of the work. The potatoes and carrots roast in the same pan, so dinner is one tray and very little washing up. It is our favorite main for a small Christmas dinner, and just as good on a Sunday in January.

Why you will love this whole roast chicken

• Simple steps. Rub with butter, put it in the oven, check the temperature. That is it.
• One pan. The vegetables cook under the chicken and soak up the juices.
• Cheaper than a big roast. A 4 to 5 pound chicken feeds 4 to 6 people.
• Great leftovers. Use them in sandwiches, soup or a quick chicken salad.

It is the “herb roast chicken” in our easy Christmas dinner ideas. If you are feeding a bigger crowd, serve it next to a brown sugar glazed ham.

What you need

• Whole chicken: one 4 to 5 pound (1.8 to 2.3 kg) chicken. Remove the bag of giblets from inside and pat the chicken very dry with paper towels.
• Butter: 4 tablespoons (55 g), softened at room temperature.
• Garlic: 4 cloves, minced.
• Fresh herbs: 1 tablespoon chopped thyme and 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary. Use 1 teaspoon of each dried herb if that is what you have.
• Lemon: 1 lemon. Zest it for the butter, then cut it in half for inside the chicken.
• Salt and pepper: 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon fine salt) and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
• Vegetables: 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) baby potatoes, halved, 4 carrots cut into chunks and 1 onion cut into wedges.
• Olive oil: 1 tablespoon for the vegetables.

How to make a whole roast chicken

1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Set a rack in the lower middle.
2. Dry the chicken. Pat the chicken dry inside and out. Dry skin is what makes crispy skin. If you have time, salt it and leave it uncovered in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
3. Make the herb butter. Mix the soft butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, half of the salt and the pepper.
4. Butter the chicken. Gently loosen the skin over the breast with your fingers. Push about half of the butter under the skin and rub the rest all over the outside. Sprinkle with the rest of the salt. Put the lemon halves inside.
5. Set up the pan. Toss the potatoes, carrots and onion with the olive oil and a pinch of salt in a large roasting pan or a 9×13-inch dish. Put the chicken on top, breast side up. Tie the legs together with kitchen string if you like.
6. Roast. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (about 15 to 18 minutes per pound). Baste once or twice with the pan juices. If the skin browns too fast, cover the breast loosely with foil.
7. Check the temperature. The chicken is done when a meat thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh and the breast, without touching bone.
8. Rest. Move the chicken to a board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Stir the vegetables in the juices and keep them warm in the oven while it rests.

How to tell when roast chicken is done

A thermometer is the only sure way. The USDA says all poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F. Check the thickest part of the thigh and the thickest part of the breast. Clear juices and a wobbly leg are helpful signs, but they are not proof.

Resting matters too. The juices settle back into the meat, so it stays moist when you carve it. For more tips, see our guide on how to cook chicken so it is never dry.

How to carve a whole roast chicken

1. Cut through the skin between the leg and the body, then pull the leg out and cut through the joint.
2. Cut each leg into a drumstick and a thigh at the joint.
3. Cut down along one side of the breastbone, then follow the ribs to lift off the whole breast. Slice it across.
4. Pull off the wings at the joint.

Put the meat on a warm platter over the roasted vegetables and spoon a little of the pan juices on top.

What to serve with roast chicken

• The roasted potatoes and carrots from the pan
• Honey garlic roasted carrots if you want a sweeter side
• A green salad or steamed green beans
• Warm cheesy garlic bread
• Any of our easy side dishes that go with everything

Leftovers and storage

Let leftovers cool, then put them in the fridge within 2 hours. They keep in a covered container for 3 to 4 days. Pull the meat off the bones before storing to save space. Reheat until hot all the way through, or use cold meat in sandwiches and salads. Keep the bones to make a simple stock.

Frequently asked questions

Easy Whole Roast Chicken with Herb Butter

A golden whole roast chicken with garlic herb butter and lemon, roasted on top of baby potatoes, carrots and onion in one pan.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Resting 15 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 whole chicken 4 to 5 lb (1.8 to 2.3 kg), giblets removed, patted dry
• 4 tablespoons butter softened (55 g)
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 lemon zested, then cut in half
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes halved (680 g)
• 4 carrots cut into chunks
• 1 onion cut into wedges
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the lower middle. Pat the chicken very dry inside and out.
2. Mix the soft butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, half of the salt and the pepper.
3. Loosen the skin over the breast. Push about half of the butter under the skin and rub the rest over the outside. Sprinkle with the rest of the salt and put the lemon halves inside.
4. Toss the potatoes, carrots and onion with the olive oil and a pinch of salt in a large roasting pan. Set the chicken on top, breast side up.
5. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (about 15 to 18 minutes per pound), basting once or twice. Cover the breast loosely with foil if it browns too fast.
6. The chicken is done when a thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh and breast, not touching bone.
7. Rest the chicken on a board for 15 minutes, then carve and serve with the vegetables and pan juices.

Notes

• Always check 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh and the breast.
• Time depends on the size of the chicken: about 15 to 18 minutes per pound at 425°F.
• For extra-crispy skin, salt the chicken and leave it uncovered in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
• Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

This recipe was developed with the help of AI tools and reviewed before publishing. It may not have been independently kitchen-tested — use your judgment, check for allergens, and cook to safe temperatures. See our AI Content Disclosure. Spotted an issue? Tell us.