Name: Perfect Roast Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 3-4 lb chicken; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp pepper; 1/2 tsp paprika; 1 tsp thyme; 1/2 lemon or onion

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Roast chicken dinner is one of the best meals to have in the recipe book. It is so tasty, nutritious, and economical! This roast chicken recipe and method isn’t rocket science, that’s why it’s the best, and it always comes out perfect!

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Roast chicken with roasted vegetables is one of my favourite meals to make. It is quick, simple, so delicious and nutritious, goes a long way, and looks impressive even though it’s so easy. You also get the tastiest chicken stock from the carcass after!

I prefer the cast iron pan method as it holds and radiates heat in a way that makes a perfectly crispy chicken with a crisp bottom.

Along with the chicken, I like to roast a tray of root vegetables, broccoli, garlic, and onions, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Everyone has a different way of doing roast chicken. I hope you find some tricks in here that you like and want to use for your own roast chicken routine!

Why You’ll Love This Roast Chicken

Easy to make perfect every time.
It is delicious and nutritious.
You can make a nutrient-dense meat stock with the leftover meaty carcass!
It feeds many people and looks impressive!

Why roast the chicken in a cast iron pan?

Cast iron holds heat beautifully, which means it cooks the chicken evenly—no hot or cold spots—and helps crisp the skin on all sides.

Because cast iron gets really hot and stays hot, it gives the underside of the chicken a golden, crisp texture—something you don’t always get with a roasting pan.

Cast iron can handle the high temps of roasting (like 425°F+) without warping or scorching. It’s oven-safe and stovetop-friendly for finishing sauces or gravies afterward.

You can add veggies, garlic, herbs, or lemon to the bottom of the pan to roast right alongside the chicken. They soak up all the drippings, caramelize, and become incredibly tasty.

After roasting, you can use the pan drippings right in the skillet to make a flavourful gravy—no transferring needed.

Gravy Tips

Once you remove the chicken from the pan, there will be drippy remains. Bring them to medium heat, estimate how many tbsp of fat there is and match it with flour. I use whole wheat flour but you can use all-purpose.

Mix the flour and the fat on the heat until toasted, start adding water slowly and mixing. Keep adding water until your desired consistency is achieved, you can also add a little milk. The fat is so flavourful, I just do mostly water and a splash of milk.

Make it thinner than you’d like as it will thicken back up again. Don’t be afraid to add more water when your reheat it if need be. I don’t add any salt or pepper, it should be very flavourful already.

This is just how I do it, could be weird, could be helpful for someone. It tastes delicious so that’s all that really matters.

Making Chicken Stock with the Carcass

Once you’ve eaten as much as you can off the carcass of your chicken, throw it in a pot on the stovetop or Instant Pot! Submerge it in water and add a splash of apple cider vinegar.

On the stove top, bring to a boil and then down to a simmer for 4-6 hours.

In the Instant Pot, turn it on manual ‘High Pressure’ cook for 4 hours with the valve turned to sealing.

Learn more about how to make a gut-healing meat stock here.

What You’ll Need To Make a Perfect Roast Chicken in a Cast Iron Pan

10-12″ Cast Iron Pan – Large enough to fit your chicken.

Bowl – Big enough to hold your chicken while you lather it with spiced oil.

Ingredients

Whole Chicken – Can be found at most grocery stores. Sometimes called “fryer chickens”.

Olive Oil – Or melted lard should work too.

Salt – Regular ol’ salt.

Pepper – Cracked pepper would be great.

Paprika – Smoked or regular will do.

Thyme – Can’t have a roast chicken without thyme.

Half Onion or Half Lemon – To stuff the cavity with.

How To Make Perfect Roast Chicken in a Cast Iron Pan

Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with your empty cast iron pan inside to get it nice and hot.

Prep the chicken. Pat your whole chicken dry with paper towel and place it in a large bowl.

Season the chicken. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme.
Pour the mixture over the chicken and rub it all over generously.

Stuff the cavity with half a lemon or half an onion (your choice).

Wash your hands, grab your oven mitts and then carefully remove the hot cast iron pan from the oven. Place the seasoned chicken directly into the hot pan and return it to the oven.

Roast at 500°F for 15 minutes. This high heat helps crisp the skin.

Reduce heat to 375°F (190°C) and continue roasting for 30–45 minutes, or until the thickest part of the meat reaches 165°F (74°C) with a thermometer.

Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. This keeps the juices in!

Notes

What is the cavity of the chicken? It is the hole at the back end where the gizzards were pulled out. It should be large enough to fit your hand into. You want to fill this cavity with a lemon or onion to open up the chicken and allow it to bake evenly. It also adds flavour.