Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken

4.96 from 65 votes

This Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken is the perfect chicken dinner! Roasting the chicken in a Dutch oven ensures that it's moist, with a golden brown and crispy skin. This one is roasted over a bed of potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, and lemons.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 40

Total Time2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 551kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

Kitchen twine
7 to 8 quart Dutch oven preferably oval shaped

Ingredients

Vegetable bed

4 medium potatoes, quartered
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
1 lemon, quartered
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Herbed butter

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
Zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the chicken

1 5-pound whole chicken giblets removed
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 lemon, quartered
5 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided
5 sprigs fresh thyme, divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Prepare the vegetable bed: Place the cut up vegetables for the vegetable bed (potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, lemon) in the bottom of a large 7-8 quart Dutch oven pot, preferably an oval-shaped one. Toss with a few drizzles of olive oil, plus salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Make the herbed butter: In a bowl, combine the herbed butter ingredients: softened butter, minced garlic, minced rosemary, thyme leaves, lemon zest, Kosher salt (2 teaspoons) and pepper (½ teaspoon). Set aside.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towel thoroughly, including inside the cavity. Rub half of the prepared herbed butter under the skin (carefully separate the skin from the flesh to create "pockets" for the butter, mainly around the breast and legs). Then, rub the remaining half butter on the outside, all over the top, legs, and wings. Tip: Patting dry the chicken thoroughly will help you get crispier skin.
Stuff the cavity of the chicken with 1 quartered and peeled onion, 1 quartered lemon, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, and 2 sprigs fresh thyme. Tie the chicken legs with kitchen twine. Note: Tying the legs with kitchen twine helps with even cooking and makes it more presentable. If you don't have kitchen twine, you don't have to tie it. It will be fine.
Place the prepared chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up. Tuck in wings under the chicken, or clip the wing tips to prevent them from burning. Place the remaining 3 sprigs of rosemary and 3 sprigs of thyme around the chicken.
Cover with the lid securely, and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes COVERED. Then, UNCOVER and roast for another 30 minute to allow the skin to crisp up and turn more golden brown. If the vegetables look like they are burning, add a few splashes of chicken broth. It's ready when a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. Tip: Avoid opening the oven too much to prevent the heat from escaping. If needed, rotate the chicken if you notice certain spots browning more, or tent any spots that are browning too fast with aluminum foil. Note: See notes below for more information on roasting/cooking times.
Let it rest in the Dutch oven for 15 minutes before serving, along with the vegetables. Enjoy!

Notes

For this recipe, I used a 5-pound chicken.
Cooking times: Roast for about 20 minuter per pound, COVERED, except for the last 30 minutes, which should be UNCOVERED. Important: To check for doneness, insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh - it should read 165 degrees F.
- 4-pound chicken: 50 minutes covered, 30 minutes uncovered.
- 5-pound chicken: 1 hour and 15 minutes covered, 30 minutes uncovered.
- 6-pound chicken: 1 hour and 30 minutes covered, 30 minutes uncovered.
The magic of a Dutch oven: Roasting with the Dutch oven covered will ensure a moist and evenly heated environment, yielding a moist, tender, and juicy chicken. Roasting uncovered for the last 30 minutes ensures that the skin is crispy and golden brown.
Try not to open the oven too much, as this will let the heat escape.
If the skin is turning too brown too fast, tent with aluminum foil.
Prep-ahead: The herbed butter can be made in advance and refrigerated. Prior to using, allow it to soften at room temperature or microwave for 10-15 seconds at a time until softened, but not melted.
Storing: Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Substitutions and additions:

Vegetable bed: celery, baby potatoes, a head of garlic (cut in half), baby carrots, beets.
Fresh herbs: You can use dried herbs for the herbed butter. Use about half or one third of the fresh herbs amount, to taste.
Additions: Toss the vegetables with your favorite seasoning blends.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition