Citrus and Herb Whole Roasted Chicken
This Citrus and Herb Whole Roasted Chicken recipe is easy to make and loaded with bright herbaceous flavor. Perfect for any occasion, especially the holiday season, this chicken recipe not only looks impressive but tastes amazing. Your guests will be blown away.
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.
Looking for more chicken recipes? Try my Juicy Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts, Juicy Grilled Whole Chicken, or my Herb and Citrus Roasted Spatchcocked Chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Impressive presentation. Anytime you serve a whole roasted chicken your friends and family will be impressed.
- Perfect for meal prep. Roasting a whole chicken is a great way to make a variety of meals throughout the week. Chicken salad, sandwiches or enjoy it over my Lebanese Rice. Another option is to enjoy it with me Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes.
- Great for holidays. If you’re not a fan of turkey or ham, a roasted whole chicken is always a great idea!
Recipe Ingredients
- 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 20-25 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 kosher 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 unsalted 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 kosher salt and cracked black 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. Option to use low sodium chicken broth instead.
Expert Tips
- 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 degrees 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!
Cooking Time for Unstuffed Whole Chicken
- 3 lb. chicken roast for 1 ¼ – 1 ½ hours at 350 degrees or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- 4 – 5 lb. chicken roast for 2 – 2 ¼ hours at 350 degrees or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- 6 lb. chicken roast for 2 ¼ – 2 ½ hours at 350 degrees or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Cooking Time for Spatchcocked Chicken
- 3 lb. spatchcocked chicken roast for 55 – 65 minutes at 350 degrees or until the center reaches 165 degrees.
- 4 lb. spatchcocked chicken roast for 1 ¼ hours – 1 hours 25 minutes at 350 degrees or until the center reaches 165 degrees.
- 5 – 6 lb. spatchcocked chicken roast for 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 20-25 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 kosher 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 kosher 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 unsalted 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.
How to Store
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat in a pan with the homemade gravy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Carefully remove the spinal column and crack the breast bone so the chicken lays flat. It will require less cooking time. See above for more info.
Yes! Grab a fat separator and separate the pan juices from the fat and herbs. Next, make a roux from butter and flour. Once the roux is lightly browned, add the pan juices to the roux to form a gravy.
Yes! However, if you’re enjoying it for dinner I suggest eating it while it’s warm.
Other Chicken Recipes to Consider Trying
Citrus and Herb Whole Roasted Chicken
Equipment
- 1 large Dutch oven
Ingredients
Whole Roasted Chicken
- 1 whole chicken, Smart Chicken, about 5 lbs.
- kosher salt, to season
- cracked black pepper, to season
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 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 low sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 20-25 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 kosher 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 kosher 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!