Browned, perfectly crisp skin that’s sure to impress your family and friends and flavorful meat. Plus, with deliciously roasted potatoes, this recipe is a complete meal in itself
Table of contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Flavorful and Moist: This recipe results in a juicy and flavorful bird with perfectly crisp skin, thanks to the lemon wedges, garlic, and thyme stuffed inside the chicken and the high-temperature roasting technique.
- Easy-to-Make: With just a few simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, this recipe is perfect for both novice and experienced home cooks. It’s a great option for a no-fuss weeknight dinner or a weekend gathering with friends and family.
- Customizable: The seasoning for the chicken can be easily customized to your taste preferences by using different herbs and spices. You can also add other vegetables like carrots, onions, or celery to the pan to make it even more flavorful.
🧂 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.
You’ll need the following for this easy one-pan dinner:
- red potatoes
- olive oil
- salt
- whole chicken
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 lemon cut Into wedges
- 5 garlic cloves
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
🥣 Equipment
This article contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase after clicking on one, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
🍴Instructions
Step One: the potatoes
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Layer the sliced potatoes on the bottom of a 10″ cast iron skillet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. The potatoes will help absorb the juices from the chicken, and the cast iron skillet will help crisp up the potatoes.
Step Two: prep the outside of the chicken
Stuff the chicken with lemon wedges, garlic cloves, and thyme. This will infuse the chicken with flavor and moisture as it cooks.
Step three: stuff
Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, and then drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and poultry seasoning, and rub the seasoning onto the chicken using clean hands. This will help the seasoning stick to the chicken and make sure it’s evenly coated
Step Four: roast
Roast at 500°F for 15 minutes. This high temperature will help to brown the chicken skin and seal in the juices.
Lower the temperature to 350°F and continue roasting until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. This should take about 15 minutes per pound of chicken. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken.
Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the chicken, resulting in a moist and flavorful bird.
🥫 Storage instructions
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Be sure to remove any remaining stuffing from the chicken and store it separately.
To reheat the chicken, preheat the oven to 350°F and place the chicken in a baking dish with a little bit of chicken stock or water. Cover the dish with foil and heat for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
If you have a lot of leftover chicken, it can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the chicken in an airtight container or freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Label the container or bag with the date and contents.
To thaw the chicken, place it in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, reheat the chicken in the oven using the instructions above.
🔍 FAQs
Yes, you can use a roasting pan or any oven-safe skillet instead of a cast iron skillet. Just make sure the pan is large enough to hold the chicken and potatoes.
Yes, you can use any seasoning blend you like or customize the seasoning to your preference. This recipe uses poultry seasoning, which is a blend of herbs like sage, thyme, and marjoram, but you can use other dried herbs or spices like paprika, cumin, or garlic powder.
The chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. You can use a meat thermometer to check the temperature by inserting it into the thickest part of the chicken breast. If the juices run clear and the meat is no longer pink, then the chicken is cooked through.
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Choose the right cast iron skillet: It’s essential to choose a skillet that is the right size for your chicken. A 10″ skillet is perfect for a 4-5 pound chicken. Make sure that your skillet is well-seasoned to prevent sticking.
- Preheating the oven to 500°F is crucial to ensure that the chicken skin gets crispy.
- Letting the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing helps the juices redistribute, resulting in a moist and flavorful bird.
📘 Related Recipes
🍽 Serve it with
- Homemade Rustic French bread
- A green salad
- A wintertime dessert like Pear Cobbler.
📖 Here’s the recipe
Cast Iron Skillet Whole Roast Chicken
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 4 medium red potatoes sliced into ¼” rounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 teaspoons teaspoons salt divided
- 4-5 pound whole chicken
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 lemon cut Into wedges
- 5 garlic cloves
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 500℉
- Potato layer. Layer the sliced potatoes to the bottom of a 10” cast iron pan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Prep chicken skin. Place the chicken over the potatoes and pat dry with a paper towel, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the chicken and sprinkle on the other 1 teaspoon of salt and the poultry seasoning. Rub the seasoning onto the chicken using clean hands.
- Stuff chicken. Stuff the chicken with the lemon wedges, garlic cloves and thyme.
- Roast. Roast the chicken at 500℉ for 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 350℉ and roast until the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165℉. (about 15 minutes per pound)
- Rest. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with the potatoes.
