Description
This Whole Dutch Oven Roast Chicken recipe yields a juicy, flavorful roast chicken with crispy skin, perfectly cooked atop a bed of seasoned vegetables and potatoes. The chicken is seasoned with a fragrant spice rub, stuffed with lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs, then slow-roasted to perfection in a preheated dutch oven. Ideal for elegant entertaining or a comforting family dinner, this method locks in moisture and infuses the meat and veggies with aromatic goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 whole chicken (4-5 lbs)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half lengthwise
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Vegetables
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs baby yellow potatoes, halved
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Remove any giblets or neck pieces from the cavity of the chicken, then pat it dry thoroughly with paper towels. Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper for seasoning.
- Make the spice rub: In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, thyme, and sage. Generously season the chicken inside and out with this mixture. Transfer the seasoned chicken to the refrigerator uncovered for 8 to 24 hours to enhance flavor and dry the skin for crispiness.
- Preheat your dutch oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a large dutch oven with its lid inside the oven to heat for 30 minutes to ensure even roasting.
- Stuff the chicken: Remove the chicken from the fridge. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, garlic head halves, and rosemary sprigs. Truss the legs and tuck the wings behind the body to maintain shape during roasting.
- Prep the veggies: In a mixing bowl, toss the chopped onions, carrots, and halved baby potatoes with half of the melted butter. Season the vegetables generously with salt and black pepper. Carefully remove the hot dutch oven from the oven, discard the lid, and spread the vegetable mixture evenly on the bottom.
- Place the chicken in the dutch oven: Set the stuffed chicken on top of the vegetables. Brush the remaining melted butter all over the skin of the chicken to promote browning and flavor.
- Roast the chicken: Cover the dutch oven with its lid and return it to the oven. Roast at 375°F for 35 minutes covered; then remove the lid, increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C), and continue roasting uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken thigh reads 165°F (74°C).
- Rest and serve: Remove the dutch oven from the oven and let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve slices of the moist roast chicken alongside the roasted vegetables and potatoes.
Notes
- This recipe produces an exceptionally juicy and flavorful roast chicken with crispy skin due to the overnight seasoning and double temperature roasting method.
- Roasting the chicken over vegetables allows their flavors to meld and the drippings to enrich the veggies for a complete one-pot meal.
- Ensure the chicken is fully dried before seasoning and roasting to achieve the crispiest skin.
- The resting period is essential to keep the juices sealed inside the meat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 2695 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 86 mg
