Easy Roast Chicken Recipe – Frugal and Delicious!
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This easy roast chicken recipe is a budget-friendly way to get a wholesome meal on the table with minimal effort. It’s a simple dinner your whole family will love—and one you’ll find yourself making again and again.
Table of Contents
Roasting a chicken gets a bad rap for being complicated, probably because it’s been unfairly associated with the woes of making a Thanksgiving turkey.
But truth is, it’s one of the easiest (and most delicious) ways to get a homemade dinner on the table.
I’ve been roasting a chicken once a week for years, and it’s a total game-changer because it is easy and frugal.
A whole chicken offers a giant bang for your buck because it’s cheaper than other proteins. You can stretch a whole chicken into multiple scratch-made meals (like these simple chicken muffins).
Nothing is more wholesome and simple than a roasted chicken. This recipe will quickly become a staple for effortless and satisfying family meals.
Serve it with sourdough toast slathered with homemade herb butter or with sourdough fried green tomatoes (my personal favorite).
Why Roast a Whole Chicken?
- Budget-Friendly: A whole chicken is much cheaper to buy than pre-cut pieces, especially compared to chicken breast.
- Hands-Off Cooking: Roasting a chicken is almost entirely hands-off. Just throw it in the oven and come back 50 minutes or so later. (Check out these 7 weeknight meals for more easy dinner ideas!)
- More Flavorful: Roasting with the bones in adds more flavor.
- Meal Prep: One chicken can be used for multiple meals throughout the week.
- Simple Ingredients: This easy roast chicken recipe only calls for chicken, lemon, salt, and pepper. That’s it!
Ingredients
- Whole Chicken: I prefer a 3-4 pound chicken. If you roast a larger one, you will need to increase the cook time.
- Lemon: Stuffing the chicken with a lemon adds flavor and helps it cook evenly because the lemon holds heat in the cavity. If you don’t have a lemon, an onion will work, too.
Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.
Tools You Will Need
- Skillet: I use my Lodge 13.25″ cast iron skillet. Check out my cast iron skillet size guide to choose the best one for your needs. You can also use a stainless steel skillet or a large baking dish.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Gather the ingredients and preheat the oven to 475° F. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
Step 2: Place the chicken breast-side up in a large skillet.
Step 3: Stuff the lemon halves inside of the bird’s cavity.
Step 4: Sprinkle the top of the chicken with salt and pepper.
Step 5: Roast uncovered for 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165° F.
Step 6: Remove the chicken from the oven and take the lemons out of the cavity. Allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Video – 3 Meals with 1 Chicken
Check out how I turned one chicken into three easy meals (while down with a cold, le sigh).
In this video, I cooked the chicken in the Instant Pot, but you can make all of these with an oven-roasted chicken.
Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel! New scratch cooking and simple living videos come out weekly.
Tips for Success
- Roast Uncovered: This contradicts conventional advice, but I will die on this hill: do not cover the chicken. Roasting uncovered crisps the skin and holds the moisture in.
- Pull the Chicken Out of the Fridge: If you have time, let the bird sit at room temperature for up to an hour before roasting. This will help it cook faster and more evenly.
- Add Salt and Pepper to Taste: I added salt and pepper measurements to the printable recipe card as a guide. But don’t be shy. You can hardly overseason a whole chicken.
- Don’t Skip the Rest: Letting the roasted chicken rest for 15 minutes makes the meat more tender. So don’t skip this part!
- Save the Bones: The bones are money in the bank! Use them to make homemade bone broth. I usually toss mine in a freezer-safe bag and pop them in the freezer until I’m ready to make broth.
Storing & Reheating
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, shred the chicken and store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
FAQs
It depends on the size of the bird. At 475° F, it will take about 10-12 minutes per pound.
If you have a bird over 3.5 pounds, I recommend roasting it for an extra five minutes or so for each additional pound.
Trussing a chicken (tying the legs together) can help the chicken cook evenly, but it isn’t necessary.
Personally, I have found it to be an extra step that doesn’t offer much reward. However, you can always experiment with it.
The best way is with a meat thermometer:
Insert into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching the bone). It should read 165° F.
If you don’t have a thermometer, pierce the thigh with a knife. The juices should run clear, not pink.
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Easy Roast Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 3-4 pounds
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients and preheat the oven to 475° F. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
- Place the chicken breast-side up in a large skillet.1 whole chicken
- Stuff the lemon halves inside of the bird's cavity.1 lemon
- Sprinkle the top of the chicken with salt and pepper.2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, 1 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
- Roast uncovered for 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165° F.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and take the lemons out of the cavity. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
- Serve right away with your favorite sides. We love it paired with einkorn cheddar drop biscuits, turmeric coconut rice, or cucumber salad.
I can’t understate how helpful a roasted chicken is. I paid $6.50 for the chicken in these photos. Now, I can use it for chicken salad, enchiladas, tacos, soup, bone broth, you name it! You can stretch a whole chicken into so many meals.
Looks so yummy! You just can’t lose with a roasted chicken!! Not only is it delicious the night you make it, but the options for leftovers are endless! And it doesn’t get easier than this!
Yes! And I always freeze the bones for bone broth later. I think a roasted chicken is one the best values and a true staple for easy meals.
-Rebecca