Whole Roasted Chicken

Total Time: 2 hours | Servings: 6 | Calories per Serving: 360

This whole roasted chicken comes out incredibly juicy, flavorful, and golden every time. A simple overnight dry brine adds deep seasoning, while a quick sear and a roast over broth keep the meat moist and tender. It’s an easy, reliable method that delivers crisp skin, rich pan juices, and a comforting, restaurant-quality roast chicken with minimal fuss.

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DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: Dry Brine the Chicken
The night before (or at least a few hours before cooking), pat the chicken completely dry. Generously salt the entire surface of the chicken, including under the skin if possible. Place it on a plate or rack, uncovered, in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours.

STEP 2: Bring to Room Temperature
The next day, remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before cooking so it can come closer to room temperature.

STEP 3: Preheat the Oven
Heat the oven to 400°F.

STEP 4: Pat Dry and Season
Pat the chicken dry once more to remove moisture. Brush the entire chicken with the melted butter. In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Sprinkle this seasoning blend evenly over the chicken (skip adding more salt since it’s already been dry brined).

STEP 5: Prepare the Roasting Pan
In the bottom of a roasting pan, pour in the 3 cups of chicken broth. Add the garlic cloves and the chopped onion pieces. Set a roasting rack over the broth so the chicken sits above the liquid.

STEP 6: Sear Top of the Chicken (optional but adds great flavor).
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Place the chicken breast-side up and sear the top for 2–3 minutes until lightly browned. Carefully transfer the chicken to the roasting rack, breast-side up.

STEP 7: Roast the Chicken
Place the chicken in the oven and roast for 60–90 minutes, depending on its size. Baste with the broth and pan juices twice: once at the 30-minute mark and again around 45 minutes. Continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.

STEP 8: Rest the chicken.
Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 20–30 minutes before carving. This helps the juices redistribute so the chicken stays moist and tender. Carve the chicken and serve with the pan juices or your favorite sides.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

360 calories | 42g protein | 2g carbs | 20g fat

INGREDIENTS

1 whole chicken
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp sweet paprika
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
Salt (for dry brining)