How To Cook A Whole Chicken

The key to making the best whole chicken is the right method of cooking and the best selection of ingredients. Even though there is a lot of fanfare you can do with cooking an entire chicken, it is often best to keep it simple.

Here is everything you need to cook an entire chicken:

• Chicken: Go for a bone-in skin-on whole chicken about 3-4 pounds in size. The size of the chicken is important here because the time of cooking depends on it. Often larger chicken take longer to cook as compared to smaller ones.

• Onions: This recipe calls for a single white or yellow onion. The onion is quartered and stuffed into the skin for additional flavor. The slow cooking process allows the onion to caramelize and impart its flavor to the chicken.

• Lemon: Take one lemon that is zested and quartered. The lemon juice helps tenderize the meat while the rest of the lemon can be added inside the chicken along with the onion.

• Garlic: You will need 2 cloves of garlic that are minced and ready to use. Garlic makes the base for the rest of your seasoning.

• Olive Oil: One tablespoon of olive oil is often required to coat the chicken so that it can develop a certain char during the cooking process. The oil also helps the seasonings to stick to the meat.

• Salt and pepper: You can add salt and pepper to taste. Salt helps tenderize the meat while pepper gives it a certain kick.

• Spices: The selection of spices depends on your personal preference but this recipe includes Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, cumin powder and dried herbs like rosemary.

There are many different ways to cook a whole chicken but the best method is to cook the chicken in the oven. Oven roasting is a popular method because it gives the best result within a short period of time.

It is mostly hands-free and gives you the best results every time. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to cook whole chicken in the oven:

1. Prepare The Seasoning

The first step in cooking an entire chicken is to prepare the dry rub. The rub serves the purpose of seasoning the chicken and adding flavor to it.

For this recipe, mix in the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, cumin, and dried rosemary along with minced garlic, salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of lemon juice.

Finally, add in the olive oil so that it forms a paste which you can then rub on the chicken. Some recipes call for butter instead of olive oil but we found that oil gives you a crispier skin at the end.

2. Prepare and Season The Chicken 

Once your seasoning mix is ready, it is time to prep the chicken. To do this, start by patting your chicken dry with a paper towel. 

This step is important because it ensures that the seasoning sticks to the chicken skin. Make sure to remove as much moisture as possible in this step.

The next thing to do is to loosen the skin around the breasts and legs. You can do this by inserting your fingers between the skin and meat. This way you can season the meat inside the chicken skin.

Then, rub 1/3rd of the seasoning on the chicken skin, 1/3rd inside the chicken skin, and the remaining inside the chicken cavity.

3. Truss The Chicken

This step is entirely optional but trussing the chicken helps lock in moisture and flavor from the chicken. To truss, simply tuck the chicken wings inside and use kitchen strings to tie them together.

Also, tie the legs together with another string to ensure that the juices from the chicken remain within the meat and keep it tender.

4. Roast The Chicken

Finally, it is time to get to roasting. Some cooks believe that it's important to allow the chicken to marinate before roasting but we believe that the oven does the thing for you.

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Transfer your chicken into a cast iron skillet and place it in the oven for about an hour and 20 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, take a reading from the thickest part of the breast and it should read 165°F.

5. Serve

Once the chicken is cooked, take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes. During this time, the juices from the chicken get locked into the meat so that it remains moist. 

Finally, transfer it to a cutting board and start slicing and serving.

The time required to cook a whole chicken in the oven depends on several factors including the size of the bird and the oven temperature. 

As a general rule, a 3-4 pound whole chicken is often cooked for about 1.5 hours at 400°F. Another way to know when your chicken is done is by checking its internal temperature.

When the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and thigh, it can be deemed done.

However, for a larger 5-6 lb chicken, the roasting time might increase up to 2 hours. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is fully cooked through. 

Apart from cooking, it is also important to allow the chicken to rest for about 15 minutes after it's done cooking.

• Dry the skin: It is important to completely dry the skin before you start the cooking process. Dry skin results in crispy skin and who doesn’t like a bit of crispy chicken skin, right?

• Don’t forget the insides: Many people forget about the inside of the chicken. Seasoning the inside is important to get a flavorful share of chicken every time.

• Trussing is optional: Even though many cooks make a big deal about trussing the chicken, it isn’t the end of the world if you choose to skip it altogether. Trussing helps but it isn’t a must.

• Allow marination for more flavor: An additional tip for you is to allow the chicken to marinate for 24 hours before you start roasting it. Once you’re done seasoning your chicken, place it in the fridge overnight. It adds to your cooking time but the flavor is worth it.

Cooking an entire chicken in a crockpot is as easy and simple as it sounds. Since crockpot does all the work for you, it is a pretty hands-off job.

To cook a whole chicken in the crockpot, follow these steps:

• Remove any giblets or neck from the chicken cavity. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.

• Place the quartered onion and garlic cloves in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger crockpot.

• Season the chicken inside and out with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.

• Place the seasoned chicken, breast-side up, on top of the onions and garlic in the crockpot.

• Pour the chicken broth or water around the sides of the chicken. This will help keep it moist.

• Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

• Carefully remove the chicken from the crockpot and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving and serving.

Another quick and easy way to cook an entire chicken is to air fry it. The air fryer works by providing high heat and circulating air to cook the chicken evenly. It results in crispy skin without the need for oil.

One thing to consider is the size of the chicken. Depending on the type of air fryer you own, you should use a whole chicken that is about 3 lbs in size.

Here is how to cook a whole chicken in an air fryer:

• Start by seasoning the chicken inside and out with spices and seasonings.

• Place the chicken breast side up in the air fryer basket.

• Cook at 380°F for 60-75 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through.

• Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

• Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before carving and serving.

There are many ways to serve a whole chicken. The best way to serve it would be with some roasted veggies on the side but if you’re looking for more options, these might be of help:

• Mashed Potatoes: The creamy mashed potatoes complement the crispy chicken perfectly.

• Lemon Rice: You could never go wrong with serving the whole chicken with some lemon rice. It is filling, flavorful, and extremely healthy.

• Kale Salad: Talking of healthy, pair this chicken with some kale salad for an added crunch.