Slow Roasted Chicken
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This Slow Roasted Chicken is completely foolproof! It’s made in one pan, requires minimal prep, and only a handful of fresh ingredients. Plus, it’s easy to clean up!
So I have a friend who once told me that she refuses to cook roasted chicken. Why? Because even after her many, many attempts, it never came out right. It was either raw or dry and overcooked, and always lacking flavor. Of course, hearing this put me straight to work!
I set out to create a foolproof, dependable roasted chicken recipe that comes out golden, juicy and perfectly tender 100% of time. And call it a humble brag, but I delivered!
This slow roasted chicken recipe is beyond simple, crazy delicious, and impossible to mess up.
Why you’ll love this roasted chicken Recipe
- Intense flavor infusion: Slow-roasting allows all the flavors to come together beautifully. The aromatic herbs, zesty lemon, and fragrant garlic infuse the chicken, while the carrots, celery, and onions create a flavorful bed for roasting.
- Juicy and tender: Slow-roasting ensures the chicken remains incredibly juicy and tender. You won’t have to worry about dry, overcooked meat.
- Impressive presentation: When you bring a perfectly roasted chicken to the table, it’s a showstopper. Your guests will be impressed by your culinary skills, and it’s a fantastic centerpiece for special occasions. Plus, it pairs well with almost anything, one of my favorites to serve it with is French Onion Soup as an appetizer and Air Fryer Vegetables or Sheet Pan Scalloped Potatoes on the side.
Ingredients you will need
- Whole chicken: When selecting a whole chicken for this recipe, consider choosing one that’s free-range or organic, as it often results in more flavorful and tender meat.
- Vegetables: Garlic, carrots, celery, and onions give the chicken flavor and absorb the flavor from the chicken, which makes them a delicious side to serve with the chicken!
- Lemon: For added flavor and aroma.
- Seasonings: Fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme, dried marjoram, kosher salt, and back pepper are the perfect poultry blend.
How to make Slow Roasted Chicken
Step 1: Prepare the chicken. Stuff the chicken cavity with the lemon wedges, herbs, and garlic cloves. Season and rub all over with olive oil. Place the chicken in a roasting pan, atop the veggies.
Step 2: Cook and serve. Roast the chicken for 3 hours, basting the skin halfway through. Increase the oven temperature and cook for another 10 minutes. Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
What To Serve With Slow Roasted Chicken
- Gravy: Reserve the veggies and chicken juices. It’s one of the easiest methods to make a gravy if feel like making one! Or, try this Gravy With No Drippings Recipe.
- Extra Vegetables: Serve your perfectly cooked chicken with a roasted green veggie (love this Air Fryer Broccoli) and baby potatoes. These Slow Cooker Carrots make a great side dish as well if you’re feeding a crowd and need more carrots than what fits in the pan!
What Is trussing a chicken?
Trussing a chicken is tying it with kitchen twine or butcher’s string to secure the wings and legs close to the body. This helps the chicken cook evenly and maintain its shape during roasting. If you’ve stuffed the cavity, this will also help keep everything from spilling out.
How to truss a chicken
- Prepare the chicken: rinse the chicken inside and out, and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Position the chicken: place the chicken on a clean, flat surface with the breast side up.
- Tuck the wings: lift the wings and fold them back so that they’re tucked underneath the chicken. This helps keep them from burning during roasting.
- Cut the twine: cut a piece of kitchen twine or string, about 18-24 inches long, depending on the size of your chicken. Slide the twine under the chicken, positioning it just below the neck cavity.
- Tie the legs: lift the chicken’s legs and cross them over each other, just above the knobby joint. The twine should hold them together. wrap the twine around the crossed legs and tie a tight knot to secure them. Make sure the legs are pulled in close to the body.
- Trim Excess Twine: Use kitchen scissors to trim off any excess twine, leaving enough for a neat, tidy knot.
- Optional: truss the tail: you can also wrap the twine around the tail end of the chicken and tie it to the knot you’ve already made. This further secures the shape.
How do you know when the chicken is cooked?
The best way to make sure a classic roast chicken is cooked is to use a meat thermometer. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken without touching the bone.
The safe internal temperature is 165°F, when the chicken reaches this temperature, it’s finished. If you do not have a meat thermometer, you can also try checking the pan juices. When you pierce the thickest part of the chicken with a fork or knife, the juices should run clear.
If they are pink or cloudy, the chicken needs more cooking time. Lastly, you can check the color of the meat in areas like the chicken breast or the thickest part of the thigh. The meat should be opaque with no traces of pink, and the juices should run clear.
Should you roast a chicken covered or uncovered?
You should roast a chicken uncovered. Roasting it uncovered allows the heat to circulate around the chicken, which helps to create a crispy skin on the outside while cooking the meat evenly on the inside.
It also allows any excess moisture to evaporate, which can result in a more flavorful and appealing roast. You should only cover the chicken if the skin is getting too dark before the inside of the chicken is finished cooking.
How to store roasted chicken
Roasted chicken can be stored in the refrigerator whole or sliced. I prefer to store it sliced because it’s easier to reheat and doesn’t take up as much room in the fridge.
To store your leftover roasted chicken, allow it to cool to room temperature and place it in an airtight container. You can store it for 3-4 days in the fridge or 2-6 months in the freezer.
It’s important that you know how to store chicken correctly!
FAQ’s
Roasting a chicken slowly is my favorite method because it allows the chicken to cook evenly, resulting in tender and juicy meat. And no one likes a dry chicken! Slow roasting also allows all the flavors from the spices and seasonings to infuse the chicken.
I suggest fresh, organic, and free-range if possible. These chickens are often raised in more humane conditions and can have better flavor and texture compared to conventionally raised ones.
For a family meal, a 3-4 pound chicken is a good size to buy. It provides enough meat for several servings without being too large. If you’ve got leftovers, I have plenty of rotisserie chicken dinner recipes for you to try!
Slow roasting a chicken can take anywhere from 2.5 – 3.5 hours. Once you have slow roasted the chicken for about 3 hours, you will need about 10 minutes to crisp the skin and 15 more minutes to let the chicken rest.
More chicken recipes to try
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Rotisserie Chicken Dinners Ebook
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Slow Roasted Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 carrots cut into chunks
- 2 celery stalks cut into chunks
- 1 onion wedges
- 1 whole chicken
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 bulb garlic
- small bunch fresh mixed herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary)
- 1 tbsp dried marjoram
- 2 tsp olive oil
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F. While oven is preheating, place carrots, celery and onion in a roasting tray and sit the chicken on top. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the lemon, herbs and garlic then drizzle with olive oil, rubbing it into the skin. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. You can also add some herbs chopped to the skin if you like. Add a small drizzle of water (about 1 tbsp) to the bottom of the pan too.
- Roast the chicken for 3 hours, basting the skin with the juices halfway through. Increase the oven temperature to its highest setting and continue to roast the chicken for 5-10 minutes to crisp up the skin.
- Remove the chicken from the roasting tray and check its cooked through, then set aside on a platter to rest for 10-15 minutes. Reserve the vegetables and cooking juices in the roasting tray to make a gravy if you wish. Serve with roasted veggies and potatoes. .
Notes
- Look for a fresh, organic, and free-range chicken if possible. These chickens are often raised in more humane conditions and can have better flavor and texture compared to conventionally raised ones.
- While trussing your chicken is optional, I recommend it to ensure even cooking and a more attractive presentation.
- Be sure to reserve the veggies and chicken juices if you plan to make gravy!
