# Roasted Chicken

Crispy golden skin, juicy meat, and a simple herb butter that does all the heavy lifting. The kind of Sunday dinner that makes the whole house smell incredible.

_Dinner_

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 80 min · Total: 95 min · Yields: 4 servings

## Ingredients

- 1 large whole chicken (3.5–4.5 lb, patted dry)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 cloves garlic (2 minced, 2 smashed)
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more for cavity)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 medium lemon (halved)
- 1 medium yellow onion (quartered)
- 2 tbsp olive oil

## Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the lower-middle position.
2. In a small bowl, mash together the 4 tbsp softened butter, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp thyme leaves, 1 tbsp rosemary, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper until fully combined.
3. Pat the whole chicken completely dry with paper towels — surface moisture is the enemy of crispy skin.
4. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin over the breasts and thighs without tearing it. Push roughly two-thirds of the herb butter under the skin and spread it evenly.
5. Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the chicken.
6. Season the cavity generously with kosher salt, then stuff it with the 2 smashed garlic cloves, both lemon halves, and the quartered yellow onion.
7. Drizzle the 2 tbsp olive oil over the chicken and rub it across the skin to help it brown evenly.
8. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under the body to prevent burning.
9. Place the chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan or oven-safe skillet. Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes to start crisping the skin.
10. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue roasting for 50–60 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
11. Tip the pan so the juices run out of the cavity, then transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Rest uncovered for at least 10 minutes before carving — this keeps the juices in the meat, not on the board.

## Tip

> Drying the chicken uncovered in the fridge for 1–24 hours before roasting pulls even more moisture from the skin, giving you a noticeably crispier result with zero extra effort on cook day.

Tags: weeknight, comfort-food, one-pan, gluten-free

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Canonical: https://just-recipes.io/recipes/roasted-chicken