Properly roasted chicken is a beautiful thing. It’s moist and delicious with a crispy, flavorful, golden-brown skin. Pair with Savory Rice and Mushrooms, Garlic Parmesan New Potatoes, or Green Beans for a tasty meal to remember.
Learn how to use my Poultry Citrus Brine and Poultry Rub to make succulent, perfectly roasted chicken.
Perfectly Roasted Chicken Recipe
Roasted Chicken
Equipment
- roasting pan
- vertical roasting stand – optional
- digital thermometer
- cutting board
- kitchen knife
- large bag or non-reactive vessel – for brining the chicken
- small bowl – for the rub
Ingredients
- 6 pounds Whole roasting chicken – or 2 Cornish Hens
For the brine
- 3 oranges
- 3 lemons
- ½ cup sage leaves – freshly picked
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 5 cloves garlic – large, peeled and smashed
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 4 quarts water
- 1 cup kosher salt
For the rub
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp lemon pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ¾ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the chicken
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion – quartered
- 1 lemon – quartered
Instructions
Brine the chicken
- Remove the chicken from its package and pat dry. Place the chicken into a large pot, brining bag, or other container large enough to keep it submerged.6 pounds Whole roasting chicken
- Use a vegetable peeler to strip the peels from the oranges and lemons. Try to remove only the peel, leaving behind as much of the bitter white pith as possible. Roughly chop the sage leaves. Measure out the bay leaves, peppercorns, rosemary, and garlic cloves.3 oranges, 3 lemons, 1/2 cup sage leaves, 2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns, 5 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs rosemary
- Bring 1 quart (4 cups) of the water to a boil in a large saucepan or stock pot on the stovetop. Once boiling, add the salt and stir until dissolved. Add the orange and lemon peels, chopped sage, bay leaves, peppercorns, rosemary, and garlic. Let the water return to a boil, then remove from heat.4 quarts water, 1 cup kosher salt
- Cool and then dilute the concentrate to make brine. Let the brine concentrate and flavoring ingredients cool until no longer steaming, then stir in the remaining 3 quarts of water. (If your pan is too small, you can do this in a pitcher or other large container.) Check the temperature of the brine; it should be room temperature or lukewarm.
- Pour the brine over the chicken. Make sure the chicken is submerged. If the poultry is floating, weight it down with a plate or other heavy object.
- Brine for 12 to 24 hours. Cover the chicken and keep it refrigerated during the brining process.
Prepare the rub
- In a small bowl, mix together the herbs, spices, and baking powder.2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp lemon pepper, 1 tsp dried thyme, 3/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp Black pepper, 1 tsp baking powder
Prepare the chicken for roasting
- Remove the chicken from the brine. Rinse, and pat dry with paper towels, inside and out. Try to get the chicken as dry as possible.
- Rub the chicken with olive oil. Rub seasoning mixture over the inside and outside of the chicken. Place onion and lemon quarters inside the cavity. Tuck wings under the chicken, and tie drumsticks together. Place into a roasting pan with the breast side up. Optionally use a vertical roasting stand.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, 1 lemon
Roast the chicken
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Roast 2 – 2 ½ hours or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165℉. If the chicken browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil. Remove the chicken from the oven and tent with foil. Let rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Notes
PRIVATE NOTES
Nutrition
More Information
A Special Meal with Good Memories
Roasted chicken with mushroom rice and peas is a meal that brings back good memories for me. While growing up, mom made this from time to time. It was savory, comforting and delicious. It’s always been one of my favorite meals.
Pro Tips
Brining the chicken
Brining the chicken before roasting adds flavor and keeps the chicken from drying out.
My Citrus Poultry Brine is a great choice. It will infuse the chicken meat with subtle flavors of orange, lemon, garlic, sage and rosemary. Every bite of the roasted chicken will be moist and delicious.
Applying a Rub
Applying a rub will add flavor and help to chicken skin to crisp.
My Poultry Rub recipe is perfect for making roasted chicken. It adds flavors of onion, garlic, lemon and thyme.
Crisping the skin
Whether roasting or smoking, the best chicken has golden-brown, crispy, delicious skin.
Olive oil helps keep the poultry rub in place, but it also acts as a moisture barrier. The skin needs to be dry when it is roasted so that it will crisp. For this reason, it is important to rinse and thoroughly dry the chicken after brining. Do this before applying the olive oil and seasonings, or the oil barrier will work against you.
Baking soda?
Baking soda and salt help to draw moisture to the surface of the skin where it will evaporate while baking. This helps to make a dryer, crispier skin.
Variations
Cornish Hens
Cornish hens are also called Rock Cornish Hens, or Cornish Game Hens. They are not a special breed, but just young, immature chickens. One Cornish hen will feed two people.
Split Cornish hens down the middle when roasting or smoking. Keep the half intact when serving. It makes for a nice presentation, and is a perfect serving for one hungry person.
Chicken Quarters
Roasting chicken leg and thigh quarters is another good option. Just like Cornish Hens, one leg and thigh quarter will feed one hungry person.
Roast skin-on chicken leg and thigh quarters in exactly the same way.
Related Recipes
Savory Rice & Mushrooms
Garlic Parmesan New Potatoes
Green Beans
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