Whole Roasted Chicken

The Perfect Dinner

Aromatic lemon and garlic make this whole roasted chicken a dinner mainstay. Roasting a whole chicken is also an economical way to ensure delicious leftovers for days to come. Add it to fresh salads, stir into soup, or chop up into chicken salad. Use the bones for making homemade chicken broth.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 60-75 minutes
Total time: 90 minutes
Serves: 4-6

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Recipe courtesy of
  • Lisa Markley Director of Culinary Medicine | AdventHealth Whole Health Institute

Recipe Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 - 4 pounds whole chicken
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons seasoning of your choice (poultry seasoning, paprika, etc.)
  • Salt and black pepper

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Remove chicken from packaging and check cavity to remove giblets, if present. Place the chicken in a large baking dish or roasting pan. Slice lemon in half and squeeze juice over the outside of the chicken. Place squeezed lemon halves into the cavity with halved garlic. Drizzle outside of chicken with olive oil and generously season with poultry seasoning or paprika, salt, and pepper.
  3. Roast chicken for approximately 60-90 minutes, covering with foil after about 30 minutes to prevent skin from burning. Ensure chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of165°F. The thermometer should be inserted into the thickest part of the thigh to check temperature. Skin should be golden brown and juices should run clear.
  4. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 5-10 minutes before carving.

Cook’s notes: Because chickens can vary in size, cooking time can vary up to 15-30 minutes. I recommend investing in an instant-read thermometer for the safest and easiest way to check for doneness.

Category Tags

Entrees
Good source of protein
High protein

About the Recipe Author

Lisa Markley, MS, RDN, LD, is an integrative dietitian culinary nutrition expert with nearly two decades of experience working towards improving the health of others. She is passionate about educating others how to harness the healing power of food and healthful lifestyle changes.

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