This recipe for Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken turns a whole chicken into tender, succulent goodness! If you’re looking for an easy recipe to roast a whole chicken, this is it! The garlic and rosemary work perfectly with meat to create a melange of savory goodness.

 

Whole chicken, ready for serving.

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The Recipe for Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken

If you’re looking for a good recipe that is super easy but tastes amazing, this one fits the bill! The chicken is covered with garlic and rosemary goodness and  roasted until the chicken reaches tender perfection.

 

This recipe takes five to ten minutes to get in the oven. The rest of the time is hands-off. You can do something else while the chicken bakes. 

 

The Inspiration for Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken

I love to experiment with different ways to roast chicken and was particularly inspired by an episode of Martha Stewart where she showed how to put salt and herbs under the skin of the chicken to add more flavor.

 

I believe that Martha used olive oil, garlic, salt and whole sage leaves. Her combination is delicious as well.

 

How to Roast a Whole Chicken

Roasting a whole chicken might sound difficult, but it’s really an easy endeavor. In fact, I think it’s one of the easiest ways to prepare chicken.

 

First of all, preheat the oven. I use a temperature of 375º Fahrenheit. Next, prepare the rub for the outside of the chicken.

 

After the rub is ready to go, it’s time to get the chicken ready. To do this, you need to remove any bags of giblets and discard or save for stock. Next, pat the chicken dry. Do not remove the skin from the chicken. The skin helps hold in the moisture and makes the chicken moister and more flavorful.

 

When the chicken is dry, you can rub in the seasonings. In this case, we are using garlic, salt, rosemary and avocado oil. I like to put some of the seasoning between the skin and the meat. 

Place the seasoned chicken on a roasting rack in a roasting pan, then roast in the preheated oven. 

 

Garlic Rosemary Rosted Chicken Carved

 

How to Keep Chicken Moist in the Oven

The nice thing about roasting a chicken is that it doesn’t dry out as quickly some other meats do, like turkey for example.

 

Watch the temperature

I usually choose to roast my chickens at a lower temperature (375º Fahrenheit) as opposed to a high temperature, like 425º Fahrenheit. While this takes a little longer, it helps the chicken cook more evenly. 

 

If you like, once the skin has developed a nice golden color, you can decrease the oven temperature even more.

 

No matter what temperature you choose to roast your chicken, be sure to check the temperature of the meat frequently during the process. One thing I find is that it seems like it takes a long time for the temperature to start to go up, but once it starts, it can go quickly. 

 

Another option is to use a skewer that comes with your oven that automatically alerts you when the meat has reached the desired temperature. 

 

While you need to be careful not to undercook a chicken, you also need to be careful not to overcook the bird as this will cause a dry chicken.

 

Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken served

 

Allow the chicken to “rest”

Probably the most important trick to keeping the chicken moist happens after you remove the chicken from the oven. After you take the chicken out of the oven, it’s important to allow it to “rest” for at least 10 minutes before carving it. I even allow 15 or twenty if I have the time.

 

Why rest a chicken after roasting it?

Resting a chicken after roasting will allow the meat to absorb the juices. If you cut into the meat immediately after roasting, all of the juices with run out of the meat, leaving you with dry meat.

 

Garlic Rosemary Roast Chicken bite shot.

 

At what temperature a whole roasted chicken done?

While the minimum safe temperature for chicken as determined by the USDA is 165º Fahrenheit, you may choose to roast the chicken to a higher temperature.

 

I like to continue to roast the bird, however, until thickest part of the thighs is 180-185º Fahrenheit. I do this because the chicken legs and thighs contain a lot of collagen. Collagen is a type of protein that can make the meat tough it isn’t broken down. Collagen starts to break down into gelatin at 140º Fahrenheit and continues to about 185º. You can read more about this transformation here. 

 

Chicken thighs can be eaten at 165º Fahrenheit, but they will be chewier and not as tender. 

 

Final words on Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken

This recipe for Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken can be a lifesaver when you need to make an elegant meal but don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. Enjoy!

Annissa

Cover photo of Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken with text

 

Overhead shot of garlic rosemary roasted chicken.
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Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken

This recipe for Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken turns a whole chicken into tender, succulent goodness! If you're looking for an easy recipe to roast a whole chicken, this is it! The garlic and rosemary work perfectly with meat to create a melange of savory goodness. Low-carb and Keto-friendly.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword baked chicken, baked whole chicken, garlic rosemary chicken, roasted chicken, rosemary garlic chicken, whole chicken recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 419 kcal
Author Annissa Slusher

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
  • 1 whole chicken (patted dry and giblets removed)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375º Fahrenheit. Mix the sea salt, garlic and fresh rosemary in a small bowl.

    Overhead photo of marinate for chicken.
  2. Pat the chicken dry. Rub the garlic-rosemary mixture all over the chicken. Pull up the skin and slide your hand between the skin and the breast to get some of the mixture closer to the meat.

    Raw chicken with the skin being pulled up.
  3. Place chicken on a roasting rack. Roast chicken for about 20 minutes per pound. Chicken is done when a thermometer reads between 165º and 185º Fahrenheit when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.

    Overhead shot of stuffed raw chicken.
  4. Allow the chicken to rest 10-15 minutes after removing from the oven. After it has rested, carve chicken and serve.

    Overhead shot of garlic rosemary roasted chicken.
Nutrition Facts
Garlic Rosemary Roasted Chicken
Amount Per Serving (7 ounces)
Calories 419 Calories from Fat 252
% Daily Value*
Fat 28g43%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 131mg44%
Sodium 1010mg44%
Potassium 6mg0%
Carbohydrates 0g0%
Fiber 0g0%
Sugar 0g0%
Protein 33g66%
Vitamin A 4%0%
Vitamin C 4%5%
Calcium 4%0%
Iron 11%61%
Net Carbs 0g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.