Whole Roasted Chicken With Potatoes, Lemon, Herbs and Feta

OH HI IT’S ME making you a delicious, crispy, easy whole roasted chicken dinner

I know this recipe might seem slightly intimidating if you’ve never roasted a chicken before, but it’s fairly easy and simple to do. I’ve lovingly deemed it our “Sunday night chicken dinner” because it’s our family favorite meal to prep for the week ahead. All you’ll need is a whole chicken, some of your fav veggies for roasting, a few simple marinade ingredients, and fresh garnishes to top it all off.

It’s cheap, great for feeding a whole family, and it’s DAMN GOOD. We either eat it as is with a savory feta sauce, shred it to put in soups, salads, and more, or my husband will eat it on his daily lunch sandwiches. Let’s get to it!

Everything you need to make this easy roasted chicken dinner

The best part about making a whole roasted chicken is that it requires minimal, super simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make my recipe:

• Chicken: I typically opt for a 4-pound organic young chicken without the giblets.
• Olive oil: you’ll need some olive oil to marinate both the chicken and veggies.
• Lemon juice: every good marinade needs an acid, and we’re using fresh lemon juice.
• Garlic: don’t forget the fresh garlic in your marinade.
• Spices: we’re adding flavor to the meal with plenty of salt and pepper, garlic powder, sweet paprika, and oregano.
• Mustard: a little dijon mustard gives the marinade an extra punch of flavor.
• Vegetables: I also like to bake the chicken with fingerling or baby yukon gold potatoes, carrots, and onions for extra flavor and an easy veggie side.
• To garnish: the chicken and veggies are wonderful just as they are, but I love to garnish the platter with fresh dill and parsley, crumbled feta, and lemon zest.

Prep your chicken for cooking

There are a few key steps you need to take before roasting your chicken:

1. Let it come to room temp.  Before adding anything to the chicken, let it come to room temperature on the counter for about 30 minutes. This is to ensure proper, even cooking and make it easier to coat the chicken in your butter mixture.
2. Remove the insides & pat dry. If your chicken still has the bag of giblets inside the cavity, be sure to remove it. Next, pat the chicken dry with paper towels so that the marinade sticks well and you get that perfect golden, crispy skin.
3. Spatchcock the chicken. This is my BEST strategy for ensuring evenly cooked chicken! A couple of summers ago I taught you all how to spatchcock a chicken for grilling, and we’ll use the same method for this roasted chicken recipe. Learn exactly how to spatchcock a chicken here!
4. Add the marinade everywhere. You’ll want to make sure you add your marinade mixture both on top of the chicken and underneath the skin. Carefully lift the skin above the chicken breast and massage in some of the marinade. This will ensure that the whole chicken is juicy and flavorful.

How long does it take to cook a whole chicken?

My typical rule for roasting a whole chicken or turkey is for every pound of chicken, you’ll roast it for about 15-20 minutes. Because we’re spatchcocking this chicken, it will likely require a little bit less time!

I ended up roasting my 4-pound chicken for about 45 minutes. Once the thickest part of the chicken breast reads 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, it’s ready to be pulled out of the oven and will continue to cook a bit as it cools.

Simple tips for the best roasted chicken dinner

• Stir the veggies halfway through. When the chicken dinner is about halfway through the cook time, I recommend carefully stirring the veggies underneath to help them cook evenly.
• Check for doneness. As I mentioned, your chicken will be done when a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast. If your chicken looks like it’s getting too brown on the outside but is not yet done, simply cover it with foil so that the inside continues to cook.
• Let the chicken rest. Once your chicken is done and you’ve pulled it from the oven, let it rest for 15-20 minutes before cutting into it so that the juices stay in the meat.

Our favorite way to serve this whole roasted chicken

The roasted veggies and garnishes definitely make a full meal, but I also like to jazz up the dinner by:

• Arranging the veggies on a platter with some fresh arugula for a boost of greens
• Adding the quartered chicken pieces on top
• Drizzling with my famous Whipped Feta Yogurt Dip (or serving it on the side for dipping!)

How many people does this roasted chicken serve?

With a 4-pound chicken, you’ll likely serve about 4-6 people. It should yield about 5 cups of shredded chicken (if you decide to shred it).

Alternatively, feel free to carve the chicken breast and thighs, and then cut them into slices!

Meal prep tip: shred it for later

After roasting the chicken, we love to shred the whole thing to use in tons of different recipes later in the week. To do so:

1. Let the chicken completely cool, which will take about an hour.
2. Use one of these methods to easily shred the chicken after getting most of the meat off the bones.

How to store & freeze roasted chicken

• To store: store any leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave, and try some of our great recipes using leftover chicken!
• To freeze: if you have lots of leftover chicken, go ahead and freeze it for later! Make sure the chicken has cooled completely, then add it to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. For many soups and stews, you can add the frozen chicken directly and just add some cooking time, but for other recipes, you’ll likely want to thaw it in the refrigerator before using it.

Side dishes to pair with the roasted chicken

• Asiago Arugula Pear Salad
• Easy Stove-Top Mac and Cheese
• Roasted Garlic and Herb Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes (so creamy!)
• Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan & Chili Crisp
• Sesame Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas with Garlic Tahini Yogurt Sauce
• Dad’s Creamy & Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

Get all of my side dish recipes here!

Tools you’ll need

• Basting brush
• Roasting pan (no need to use the inside rack!)
• Cutting board
• Kitchen shears
• Meat thermometer
• Spatula
• Platter

Get all of my kitchen essentials here!

Ways to use leftover roasted chicken

• Butternut Squash Green Chile Chicken Soup
• The Best Chicken Soup You’ll Ever Eat
• Pesto Mushroom Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups
• Tahini Jalapeño Green Goddess Chicken Salad Wraps
• Lightened Up Chicken Pot Pie
• Spicy Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sour Cream Sauce
• Roasted Butternut Squash Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Couscous

Get all of our best recipes using leftover chicken here!

I hope you love this easy whole roasted chicken recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

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Easy Whole Roasted Chicken Recipe

5 from 27 votes

byby :Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Leave A Review Print Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

ServesServes 6 servings

Learn how to make a delicious and easy whole roasted chicken. You just need a few ingredients, a good roasting pan or skillet and a little over an hour! Makes juicy meat that's perfect for serving as is or shredding and adding to soups, stews, enchiladas or tacos!

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (or sub melted butter or avocado oil)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound fingerling potatoes or baby gold yukon gold potatoes, halved
• 4 to 5 medium to large carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and cut into 3-inch segments
• 1 yellow onion, cut into large chunks
• For serving:
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• Crumbled feta
• Lemon zest
• Whipped Feta Yogurt Sauce, optional
• Arugula, optional for extra greens!

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove chicken from the fridge and bring to room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Marinate the chicken: In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, garlic powder, paprika, oregano and dijon until well combined. Set aside. Generously brush half of the mixture over all sides of the chicken and rub it under the skin.
• Assemble the sheet pan: Add the potatoes and vegetables to a large roasting pan, drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil mixture, tossing well to coat, then arrange the vegetables on the edges of the pan so there is room for the chicken in the middle. The chicken can cover some of the vegetables as needed.
• Prep the chicken: Place the chicken breast-side down on a sturdy cutting board and pat dry with paper towels. Using sharp, strong kitchen shears, cut closely along one side of the backbone, then repeat with the other side of the backbone. Be sure to cut as close to the spine as possible so you do not remove excess meat. Remove the backbone and discard, or save it to make homemade stock.
• Spatchcock the chicken: Flip the chicken breast-side up and firmly press down on the breast to flatten it until you hear the small crack of the breastbone breaking, which will allow the chicken to lie flat. Alternatively, with the legs facing away from you, you can make two 1-inch incisions on either side of the breastbone along the neck to help flatten the chicken.
• Transfer the chicken to the roasting pan and generously brush the remaining marinade mixture all over the chicken and rub it under the skin.
• Roast: Roast in the oven, stirring the vegetables halfway through, and cooking until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken breast reads 160°F, 45 to 50 minutes. (The chicken will continue to cook once you remove it from the oven.)
• Rest the chicken: Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board or large plate and allow it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting it into quarters.
• Garnish & serve: Transfer vegetables to a large platter, then arrange the chicken in the middle or on top of the vegetables. Garnish with fresh herbs, feta and lemon zest. Serve on plates with some whipped feta sauce spread on for enjoying with the chicken and vegetables. This is also absolutely delicious served over a little arugula. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

See the full post for tips, tricks, recommended sides, and more ways to use this whole roasted chicken!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (based on 6, without garnishes & sauce)Calories: 588calCarbohydrates: 17.6gProtein: 39gFat: 39.4gSaturated Fat: 9.8gFiber: 2.6gSugar: 2.9g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on December 1th, 2018, republished with new photos and a new recipe on December 21st, 2024, and republished on December 15th, 2025.