Quick Look: Dutch Oven Whole Roasted Chicken
- What It Is: A simple Dutch oven whole roasted chicken recipe with garlic butter, herbs, and citrus.
- Why It Works: The Dutch oven creates even heat and helps keep the chicken juicy while the skin gets beautifully golden.
- Key Tips: Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning and use a meat thermometer for perfect doneness.
- Time/Effort: Easy recipe with about 15 minutes of prep.
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Why This is My Go-To Recipe
- Tried and True: This dutch oven whole roasted chicken recipe has been in permanent rotation for as long as I can remember! And we cannot wait for all of you try it. A tried-and-true recipe that we love to so much – it is pure comfort food and perfect for any time of the year.
- Sunday Supper Vibes: Serve with homemade chicken gravy (made from the pan drippings), creamy mashed potatoes or ultimate yukon gold potatoes and some roasted broccolini for a wonderful Sunday Supper!
- Low Effort + High Reward: Simple ingredients and an easy, tested recipe that results in juicy, flavor chicken every single time!
Looking for Ways to Use the Leftovers?
It is one of the best perks of this recipe and you can easily use leftover chicken to make Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- whole roasting chicken: we recommend a 3-4 pound roasting chicken from your local grocery store – ensure it is fully thawed and the cavity is empty.
- kosher salt and ground black pepper: a basic seasoning blend that’s a must!
- ghee or butter + fresh garlic: we combine these to make a garlic butter rub.
- celery: used as a little roasting rack on the bottom of the pot.
- fresh orange + fresh rosemary + fresh thyme + sweet yellow onion: fresh herbs and aromatics that make the stuffing inside the chicken.
- head garlic: this is used as an aromatic.
How To Roast A Whole Chicken in a Dutch Oven
Step 1: The first steps to making this easy recipe are to place celery stalks in the bottom of the pan. They will act as a “roasting rack”.
Step 2: Place the whole chicken on top of celery and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Stuff with onion, orange, and fresh herbs. Rub all over with softened butter (or ghee) and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Baste approximately every 30 minutes while roasting at 375 degrees F with more melted butter (or ghee) and the drippings from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking for about 1 hour 15 minutes. Or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat reaches 165 degrees F. in the breast and thigh (use a meat thermometer). Let the chicken rest and make a simple chicken gravy, if desired!
Use Pan Drippings To Make Chicken Gravy
After removing the fully cooked chicken, you will have a good amount of drippings left in the bottom of the large pot (after removing the fat were were left with approx. 1/2 cup from a 3lb chicken). Simply keep those off to the side and follow our simple tutorial on how to make chicken gravy! We also have a Whole30, Paleo, Gluten and Dairy Free Gravy, if you prefer!
Roast Chicken Temperature Timeline (Example)
Here’s an example temperature timeline for a 3-pound whole chicken roasted in a Dutch oven at 375°F. For more even cooking, the chicken was allowed to sit at room temperature for 1 hour before roasting.
| Time | Breast Temp | Thigh Temp |
|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes | 88°F | 91°F |
| 1 hour | 143°F | 135°F |
| 1 hour 15 minutes | 154°F | 152°F |
| 1 hour 25 minutes | 168°F | 164°F |
Note: Cook time can vary depending on chicken size, starting temperature, oven accuracy, and Dutch oven size. Always use an instant-read thermometer for best results.
What We Learned While Testing
We have tested this recipe multiple times and here are our top tips!
- Butter + Basting: Don’t skip this step — the butter helps keep the meat juicy while encouraging beautifully golden brown skin.
- Seasoning: Season both inside the cavity and underneath the skin whenever possible for the best overall flavor.
- Don’t Overstuff: Avoid overfilling the cavity, which can slow down cooking and lead to uneven results.
- Use a Digital Thermometer: Internal temperature is the most reliable way to know when your chicken is perfectly cooked.
- Check Both Temperatures: The breast and thighs cook at different rates, so check both areas before removing the chicken from the oven.
- Make the Gravy: The homemade gravy is absolutely worth the extra 10 minutes — the flavorful drippings take it to the next level.
How To Carve Roasted Chicken
It is a surprisingly simple process, but if you are in need of a few tips just follow this tutorial on how to carve roasted chicken!
Meal Prep Friendly
There are two ways you could integrate meal-prep into this recipe:
- Meal Prep Chicken – simply use this recipe card to cook enough chicken for the week to use in salads, wraps, sandwiches, etc.
- Prep Recipe – You can prep the chicken ahead of time by rubbing it with butter or ghee, seasoning it, and stuffing the cavity. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then simply roast when ready to cook. Since the chicken and Dutch oven will be cold, you may need to add an extra 10-15 minutes to the cook time.
Best Ways To Serve Whole Roasted Chicken
This traditional roasted chicken can be enjoyed in so many different ways! Personally, our favorite side dish recipes to enjoy with this chicken recipe are Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Broccolini, Whole Roasted Carrots, Grilled Vegetables, and/or Garlic Green Beans. We also highly recommend making that homemade chicken gravy to drizzle over the chicken and potatoes!
Made this recipe and loved it?!
We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Ingredients
- 2 celery stalks, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
- ½ cup butter, softened, divided (sub ghee)
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 3-4 pound whole roasting chicken, fresh or fully thawed and innards removed
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, for seasoning
- ½ small sweet yellow onion, cut into chunks
- ¼ fresh small orange, cut into small chunks
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 garlic head, cut off top
- ½ lemon, cut into chunks (optional)
Instructions
- Room Temp (optional): If you have time, let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before roasting. This can help the chicken cook more evenly and may slightly reduce cook time. This step is optional.
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375℉. Lay 2 celery stalks on the bottom of a large (5.5qt) dutch oven, so it creates a "roasting rack".
- Make Garlic Butter: Place ¼ cup of softened butter (or ghee) in a small bowl and mix it with 2 teaspoons garlic. Set aside.
- Prep Chicken: Place a 3-4 pound whole roasting chicken in the dutch oven on top of the celery. Pat it dry with a clean paper towel. Rub the chicken with the garlic butter mixture, getting in every nook and cranny, and under the skin as best you can (no need to get butter on the very bottom of the chicken). Now season the outside and inside of the chicken with kosher salt and ground black pepper, try and get some seasoning underneath the skin and inside the cavity as well. Then loosely stuff the cavity with sweet yellow onion, orange chunks, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, and lemon chunks (if using). Place 1 garlic head (with one end cut off) inside the dutch oven next to the chicken.
- Roast + Baste: Place the entire pot in the preheated oven on the middle rack, uncovered for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes – 1 hour and 30 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉ at the thickest part of the thigh and breast (use a meat thermometer). While it cooks, take the remaining butter (or ghee) and melt. Use a basting brush to baste the chicken every 30 minutes with this melted butter, as well as the drippings that will gather in the bottom of the pan.
- Rest: Remove from the oven once fully cooked, baste one more time, and then let rest for 10-20 minutes (rest in the dutch oven, as juices will continue to gather that you can use to make gravy).
- Carve + Serve: Carve up the chicken and serve with your favorite side dishes!
- Optional Gravy: Reserve pan drippings and follow our tutorial on how to make chicken gravy, if desired.
Notes
- Whole Chicken: ensure the cavity is empty (remove any giblets or gravy pack, if any) and that it is fully thawed.
- Cooking Time: cooking time is approximate, so start checking the internal temp after an hour so you can see where it is at and gauge how much longer it will take to reach 165 degrees F. If after 1 hour and 15 minutes the chicken isn’t fully cooked, continue cooking for 5-10 minute increments until it is done. Remember the chicken will continue cooking (and then temp will continue to rise) while it is resting.
- Whole30/Paleo: if you are eating Whole30/Paleo then use ghee instead of butter.
- Dairy-Free: option to use olive oil to rub on the outside of the chicken and then baste with a mixture of white wine, chicken broth and a little vegan butter. Note: the chicken might not brown up as nicely with this method.
- Gravy: we also have a gluten and dairy free gravy recipe on the site if you prefer.
- Serve: serve with some yukon gold mashed potatoes and garlic green beans!
- Homemade Chicken Broth: Don’t forget to save the carcass so you can make homemade chicken broth the next day!
- Want to turn this into a full one-pot meal? Try my Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes.
Nutrition
Other Whole Chicken Recipes You Might Like
Originally published December 6, 2020.
Tom says
A simple, comforting meal that’s easier to make than you might think. The flavor and leftovers make it especially worth it — great for family dinners and meal prep throughout the week.
Becca J says
This has been my go-to roast chicken recipe for several years now and everyone that I’ve made it for has loved it, the chicken comes out perfectly juicy + flavorful every time and is super easy to make. It is both elegant enough for a dinner party and simple enough for weekly meal prep. Follow the recipe exactly and it’s perfection, tweak it with whatever herbs and other roasting veg you have on hand and it’s just as good! 10/10 every time!
Erin Jensen says
Thanks, Becca!!
Bev says
This was my first time making a roast chicken and this recipe was easy to follow and my chicken turned out beautiful and tasted great. I had to swap out the orange for only lemon and the herbs for what was in my garden/fridge but am excited to try it again with the orange.
Liz says
Love making this at the beginning of the week to enjoy in enchiladas, soups, and salads. Great recipe!
Bridget says
This is a winter staple around here. So good!
Erin says
Um this was actually AMAZING! Thank you! (Don’t skip the gravy!)
marta says
I made this recipe for dinner yesterday and it was absolutely delicious!!! I followed it exactly and it turned out exactly as given.
Sara says
Came out better than I imagined it would. Very aromatic and flavorful. I was really impressed that all the aromatics from the cavity would penetrate the meat so well. I also made the gravy and it was really good as well.
courtney says
Thank you for the recipe. It was amazing!!!