Thanksgiving Chicken

Whole roasted chicken with herbs in a white baking dish, with a side of stuffing and red onion in the background.

5 from 2 votes

🍁🍗🌿 Make this easy Whole Roasted Thanksgiving Chicken when you don't need a whole turkey! No brining, no waiting all day for a whole turkey to roast, and no excessive leftovers. Crispy golden skin with tender juicy meat, and it's ready in just over an hour. The flavor has a classic Thanksgiving flavor profile thanks to rosemary, sage, and more. It's also great for Christmas dinner and fall and winter gatherings.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 15

Resting Time15

Course: Chicken, Dinner, Thanksgiving

Cuisine: Dinner

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: roasted Thanksgiving chicken, Thanksgiving chicken, whole roasted chicken, whole roasted Thanksgiving chicken

Servings:

Calories: 513cal

Equipment

Ingredients

4 to 6 pound whole chicken patted dry, at room temperature (remove any innards from the cavity)
2 large red onions peeled and cut into chunky wedges (white onions or yellow onions may be substituted)
2 large oranges cut into wedges
2 tablespoons kosher salt or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 tablespoons butter melted (I use salted butter but unsalted may be used)
4 cloves garlic finely minced
1 tablespoon celery salt
2 teaspoons dried sage (or rubbed sage; if using fresh sage, use 3-4 teaspoons, finely minced or to taste)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (if using fresh rosemary, use 2 teaspoons, finely minced or to taste)

Instructions

Chicken: Prep it by removing any innards or anything that was in the cavity and discarding it or saving it for another use. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
Prep the Pan: To a large roasting pan, skillet, or braiser, evenly scatter the onions, oranges (reserve a few wedges of each to add to the cavity in step 5 later on) and place the chicken on top with the breast side up.
Season: Evenly season with kosher salt and black pepper all over the outside and in the cavity as well.
Tips - Do not be shy because even though 2 tablespoons sounds like too much salt, I promise it's not. And without it, the chicken isn't going to have much flavor.
Room temperature waiting: Ideally allow the chicken to sit like this in the pan, on your counter for 1 hour before roasting it. At a minimum, for 30 minutes.
Tip - Room temperature proteins cook through much more evenly and ultimately have better flavor, juiciness, and better texture compared to fridge-cold protein.
Preheat and Oven Setup: In the final 20-25 minutes or so of waiting, preheat the oven to 425F.
Make sure you have only 1 rack in the oven and that it’s in the lower 1/3 of the oven, allowing the chicken to fit properly.
Butter Mixture: To a medium, micowave-safe bowl, add the butter and heat on high power to melt it, about 30 seconds.
To the melted butter, add the garlic, celery salt, sage, rosemary, and whisk to combine.
Brush, Stuff, Tie: Use a pastry brush to brush the melted herbed butter all over the chicken and inside the cavity. Use it all.
Add the few wedges of reserved onions and oranges into the cavity.
Tie the legs of the chicken with kitchen twine. If you don't have it, it's not the end of the world but the chicken will roast more evenly if you can tie the legs.
Roast: Roast uncovered for about 45 minutes. I like to turn the pan once halfway through for more even cooking.
Baste: After 45 minutes, baste the chicken with the pan juices that have collected at the bottom.
Baste at the 45-minute mark, then again at the 1 hour mark, and by 1 hr 15 minutes the chicken should be done, but if it's not, baste it every 15 minutes until it's done.
Tip - You don't need a baster. Simply grab a soup spoon or something similar and scoop up the juices and then drizzle them down the sides from the top.
Roasting Tips - If at any point during the roasting process, especially after the 45-minute mark, that the chicken is getting overly browned before it's cooked through, drape a sheet of foil over the top of the chicken to tent it and shield it from the direct oven heat.
Done: The chicken is done when a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast and thigh reads 165°F.
Tips - Do not guess because it's nearly impossible. Use a thermometer. Depending on the exact size of your chicken, how hot your oven runs, the climate in your kitchen, the type of pan you used, the roasting process may take less than 75 minutes or more. Do not go by the clock. Judge doneness by the temperature, however long that takes on the clock.
Rest: Allow the chicken to sit in the pan for at least 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes, to allow the natural juices to redistribute. Do not cut into it early because the juices will run out and you'll be left with dry chicken.
Tip - While the chicken rests, if you'd like gravy, you can make a batch of my 10-Minute Chicken Broth Gravy which doesn't require pan drippings.
Slice: Slice or carve as desired.
Serve: Serve it with your favorite sides like Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, Sweet Potato Casserole, Green Bean Casserole, and Stuffing.

Notes

How To Use: Use this leftover chicken in any recipe that calls for leftover turkey (I have some great recipes using leftover turkey and this chicken is interchangeable with turkey) or any recipes that calls for rotisserie chicken or for shredded chicken.

Storage: Leftover chicken will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3-4 months.

Nutrition