A roasted whole chicken with potatoes in a cast iron skillet is a one pan meal that is easy and effortless. Keep it simple with pantry staple ingredients for an effortless weeknight meal or dress it up with herbs and vegetables for a flavorful and delicious holiday centerpiece.
Table of contents
Reasons to roast a whole chicken
- This is a one pan meal that is minimal cleanup.
- Perfectly roast a chicken with crispy skin and juicy, flavorful meat -minimal effort!
- Customizable recipe, use simple ingredients or add vegetables and seasoning of choice.
Why cook in a Cast iron skillet ?
- A cast iron pan is a solid and versatile piece of cookware made of iron that is a must have for home cooks.
Recommended product: Lodge 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet - Retention of heat - the pan retains heat very well. It is great for searing meats like steaks, creating a beautiful crust.
- Versatility - bake, saute, roast, and even place it over an open campfire to cook.
- Non stick surface - when cleaned and seasoned well, the surface of the pan is non stick without any harsh coating.
- Long lasting - the pan is durable and strong, if maintained well, it can last for many years.
Ingredients
Whole chicken - 3 to 4 pound chicken, fresh and fully thawed.
Kosher salt - a coarser salt, liberally seasoned right before roasting is essential to bring out the chicken's natural flavors.
Ground pepper - Season to taste.
Garlic powder - This is a simple seasoning to add additional flavor, feel free to substitute with onion powder or favorite seasoning of choice.
Butter or flavored garlic butter- Just an extra pat to boost flavor and to create a crispy golden skin.
Celery - For stuffing the cavity and additional flavor and aroma.
Garlic cloves - For the stuffing, and extra garlic infused flavor meat.
Lemon - For the stuffing to infuse the chicken meat with a subtle bright and citrusy flavor.
Mini potatoes - such as baby Dutch yellow for a creamy interior and roasted crispy skin.
How to Roast a Whole Chicken in Cast Iron
1. Preheat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit.
2. Dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels
3. Rub the seasoning all over the chicken, including the inside cavity.
4. Stuff the chicken cavity with the garlic, celery and lemon.
5. Line the skillet with the mini potatoes, season with salt and pepper.
6. Place the chicken - breast side down on the potatoes.
7. Top the chicken with pats of the butter.
8. Roast the chicken about 1 hour and 30 minutes for a 4 pound chicken, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
9. Rest the chicken for at least 10-15 minutes. *save the drippings for a roasted chicken gravy!
10. Carve with a sharp knife.
*Tip: to check the doneness of the chicken, insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh (near the bone) when temp reads 165 degrees F, the chicken is done.
Flavor Variations Ideas
This is a basic recipe with simple ingredients. Play around with different seasoning and stuffing ideas for different flavor profiles.
- Lemon garlic roast - Season the chicken with lemon salt , garlic powder and pepper, and stuff with onion, garlic and lemon
- Smokey paprika rub - season with salt, pepper, garlic and smoked paprika
- Holiday flavor - season with salt, pepper, dried thyme and rosemary and stuff with fresh herbs.
- Summer BBQ rub - season with your favorite BBQ dry rub blend.
Serving a Whole Roasted Chicken
There are so many ways to serve this delicious dish, here are some of my favorites:
With vegetables. Serve with the roasted mini potatoes, oven roasted corn on the cob, and air fryer roasted broccoli.
With easy rice cooker seasoned rice. A side of flavored delicious rice to make a complete meal try my rice cooker rice pilaf, rice cooker garlic rice, rice cooker yellow rice and rice cooker wild rice.
Holiday sides. Complete your festive spread with traditional classics like green bean casserole, holiday fruit salad, crispy roasted smashed potatoes, homemade gravy from the chicken pan drippings or garlic red mashed potatoes.
Tips for Roasting Chicken in Cast Iron
- Thoroughly pat dry the whole chicken before roasting to get a crispy skin
- Make sure the chicken is thawed through if frozen.
- Use a meat thermometer to avoid under or overcooking.
- Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the chicken. Bigger chickens will require more time.
- Save the drippings to make a simple chicken pan drippings gravy.
More One-Pan Favorites
Roasted Whole Chicken in a Cast Iron Skillet
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 4 pound whole chicken choose 3-4 pound chickens
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter, salted cut into smaller pats
- 1.5 pounds mini potatoes
- additional salt and pepper to taste
For the stuffing
- 3-4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 stalk celery, cut into thirds
- ½ lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F
- Dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels.
- Rub the salt, garlic powder and pepper all over the chicken, including the inside cavity.
- Stuff the chicken cavity with the smashed garlic, celery and ½ lemon.
- Line the skillet with the mini potatoes, season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the chicken - breast side down on the potatoes.
- Top the chicken with pats of the butter.
- Roast the chicken, about 1 hour and 30 minutes for a 4 pound chicken, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (important to use a meat thermometer)
Notes
- Check the doneness insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh (near the bone) when temp reads 165 degrees F, the chicken is done.
- Cooking times will vary based on the size of the chicken. Bigger chickens will require more time.
- Make sure the chicken is thawed through if frozen.
- Save the pan drippings to make a simple chicken gravy.
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