Citrus and Herb Whole Roasted Chicken
This citrus and herb whole roasted chicken recipe is easy to make and loaded with bright herby flavors. Perfect for any occasion, especially the holiday season. This chicken is so beautiful and flavorful your guests will be blown away. Plus, it’s perfect if you want a beautiful meal without making an entire turkey or holiday ham.
Dress up the presentation by serving extra orange and lemon wedges on the serving platter. You can also place fresh sprigs of thyme and rosemary around the cooked chicken. Option to stud the serving platter with fresh cranberries for an extra pop of color. Be sure you only place items on the serving platter that can be eaten. Option to dress up the surrounding table with fresh pine, eucalyptus or other decorations.
For this recipe, I used Smart Chicken’s whole chicken. If you’re new here, Smart Chicken is the reason I started eating chicken again after 9 years without. Their products are superior in every way. In fact, Smart Chicken’s chickens are fed a high-quality diet, humanely handled, and never given antibiotics, hormones, or animal by-products. Smart Chicken is USDA Process Verified as pure air chilled, without added water and are hand-trimmed for your convenience. The result is the best-tasting, highest-quality fresh chicken on the market! Click here to find a store near you that carries this delicious whole chicken.
This post is sponsored by Smart Chicken. I was compensated for my time, but all opinions are my own.
Ingredients Needed for Citrus and Herb Whole Roasted Chicken
Whole Chicken – For this recipe, you will need a 5 lb. whole chicken. Option to spatchcock it (remove the spinal column) for quicker cooking. Be sure the chicken is fully thawed and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30-40 minutes. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. This allows the skin to get crispy when roasting. Next, you’ll season the inside cavity with salt and cracked black pepper. Place the chicken in the pot, stuff it and spread butter on the outside. Be sure to get under the skin too.
Fats – Olive oil and salted butter. This recipe calls for both olive oil and butter to add flavor and richness to the gravy. Plus, it keeps the chicken moist when roasting.
Aromatics – Onion, orange, lemon, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, rosemary and parsley all add a depth of flavor to this recipe that’s hard to resist. Plus, they make the gravy extra flavorful.
**Quarter the onion, orange and lemon. You can leave the skin on the orange and lemon. You will place half of the onion in the bottom of the pot. The second half will be added to the cavity of the bird. Same applies for the orange. All of the small quartered lemon will be added to the bird’s cavity.
Seasoning – Classic salt and pepper work perfectly in this recipe. Especially when combined with the aromatics and juicy chicken.
Bone Broth – You’ll want to add about 2.5-3 cups of bone broth to the bottom of the Dutch oven. This allows the gravy to develop and prevents burning.
Cooking Times for a Whole Roasted Chickens
It is very important to ensure the chicken is cooked through. Please click here to see the FDA’s recommended safety guidelines for cooking chicken and other meats. However, the standard cooking times are below.
Personally, I like slow roasting chicken at 350 because it allows the meat to cook through without drying it out or burning the outer skin before it is done in the center. You will want any juices to run clear to ensure doneness. Also, be sure to use the pan juices for a homemade gravy. Pour the gravy over the chicken and potatoes for the ultimate meal!
Unstuffed Whole Chicken
3 lb. chicken 1 ¼ – 1 ½ hours at 350 degrees or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
4 – 5 lb. chicken 2 – 2 ¼ hours at 350 degrees or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
6 lb. chicken 2 ¼ – 2 ½ hours at 350 degrees or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Spatchcocked Chicken
3 lb. spatchcocked chicken 55 – 65 minutes at 350 degrees or until the center reaches 165 degrees.
4 lb. spatchcocked chicken 1 ¼ hours – 1 hours 25 minutes at 350 degrees or until the center reaches 165 degrees.
5 – 6 lb. spatchcocked chicken 1 ½ hours – 2 hours at 350 degrees or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
How to Make a Citrus and Herb Whole Roasted Chicken
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 30-40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slow roasting at 350 makes for a juicier chicken. Remove packaging and any giblets. Pat the chicken dry with a clean paper towel. Be sure the chicken is very dry as this will allow for a crispy skin when roasting. Season the inside of the bird with salt and cracked black pepper. Set it aside.
Grab a 5.5-quart Dutch oven. Add olive oil to the bottom of the Dutch oven. Next, add half of the onion, half of the orange, prepared carrots, celery and garlic to the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and cracked black pepper. Place the whole chicken on top of the vegetables and fruit. Stuff the cavity of the bird with the fresh herbs, remaining half orange, remaining half onion, and quartered small lemon. Cover the outside of the chicken in the butter using your hands. Be sure to get under the skin and on top of the skin.
Next, pour the bone broth into the bottom of the Dutch oven. This will prevent the ingredients on the bottom of the pan from burning and will be used to occasionally baste the bird. Place the chicken in the oven and cook for 2 – 2 ¼ hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Option to broil the chicken for 2-3 minutes at the end to ensure you get a crispy brown skin on top. Let the chicken rest for 10-20 minutes before slicing. This locks in the juices.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat in a pan with the homemade gravy.
Citrus and Herb Whole Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
Whole Roasted Chicken
- 1 whole chicken, Smart Chicken, about 5 lbs.
- salt, to season
- cracked black pepper, to season
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4-5 cloves garlic, left whole
- 4-5 stalks celery, depending on size, rinse and remove ends
- 4-5 carrots, depending on size, rinse, peel, remove ends
- 1 sweet onion, peel and quarter
- 1 medium orange, peel on, quartered
- 1 small lemon, peel on, quartered
- 2.5-3 cups bone broth , or chicken broth
Equipment
- 1 large Dutch oven
Instructions
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 30-40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slow roasting at 350 makes for a juicier chicken. Remove packaging and any giblets.
- Pat the chicken dry with a clean paper towel. Be sure the chicken is very dry as this will allow for a crispy skin when roasting. Season the inside cavity of the bird with salt and cracked black pepper. Set it aside.
- Grab a 5.5-quart Dutch oven. Add olive oil to the bottom of the Dutch oven. Next, add half an onion, half an orange, prepared carrots, celery and garlic to the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and cracked black pepper.
- Place the whole chicken on top of the vegetables and fruit. Stuff the cavity of the bird with the fresh herbs, remaining half orange, remaining half onion, and quartered small lemon.
- Cover the outside of the chicken in the butter using your hands. Be sure to get under the skin and on top of the skin. Next, pour the bone broth into the bottom of the Dutch oven. This will prevent the ingredients on the bottom of the pan from burning and will be used to occasionally baste the bird.
- Place the chicken in the oven and cook for 2 – 2 ¼ hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Option to broil the chicken for 2-3 minutes at the end to ensure you get a crispy brown skin on top.
- Let the chicken rest for 10-20 minutes before slicing. This locks in the juices.
One Comment on “Citrus and Herb Whole Roasted Chicken”
I did a test run of this recipe this evening as I plan to use it next week with guests. It is so easy and I have never had a chicken turn out so juicy. Thank you for yet another great recipe!