Dutch Oven Whole Roasted Chicken
This Dutch oven whole roasted chicken is juicy, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make. Garlic butter, fresh herbs, onion, and citrus create incredible flavor while the Dutch oven helps the chicken stay tender and moist. Perfect for Sunday dinner, meal prep, or an easy family dinner recipe.
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.
Video
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
Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 136IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
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