Ina Garten’s roast chicken recipe is a timeless classic for a reason. It is simple, comforting, and delivers perfectly juicy chicken with crisp golden skin every single time. This is the kind of recipe you come back to again and again because it works without being fussy.
I have made this roast chicken exactly the way Ina does, and it truly lives up to the hype. With just a handful of ingredients like lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs, the chicken roasts into something that feels elegant yet incredibly homey. It is the kind of meal that fills the kitchen with the best smells and makes dinner feel special without requiring complicated steps.
If you like Ina Garten recipes try her Meatloaf Recipe, Linguini with Shrimp Scampi, Weeknight Bolognese Ina Garten , or Ina Garten Lobster Mac and Cheese
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- It uses simple ingredients you likely already have.
- The chicken turns out juicy on the inside with crisp skin on the outside.
- It is a classic Barefoot Contessa recipe that never goes out of style.
- The lemon and garlic add flavor without overpowering the chicken.
- It is perfect for both weeknight dinners and special occasions.
Ingredients Needed
- Roasting chicken - A whole chicken is a versatile ingredient that can be prepared in various ways. Roasting a whole chicken is a popular method that results in a flavorful, crispy skin and juicy meat
- Kosher salt is less dense than table salt, so a pinch of it will have less salt content than a pinch of table salt.
- Black pepper is a commonly used spice that comes from the berries of the Piper nigrum plant. It is known for its pungent and slightly spicy flavor, and is often used to season savory dishes
- Fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
- Lemon, halved - This adds a nice burst of citrus flavor to the marinade to help enhance the choice of protein. Use freshly squeezed over bottled juice.
- Garlic, cut in half crosswise
- Butter, melted - Unsalted butter is the most commonly used type of butter in baking, as it allows for more control over the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Yellow onion, thickly sliced
- Carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
- Olive oil - Look for olive oils that are labeled as extra virgin, cold-pressed, and unfiltered for the highest quality.
- See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitution Tips
If you do not have fresh thyme, rosemary works just as well.
Butter can be used instead of olive oil for a richer flavor.
If your chicken is smaller, start checking for doneness earlier to avoid overcooking.
You can add carrots, onions, or potatoes to the roasting pan if you want an easy side dish.
How to make Ina's Roast Chicken
Step 1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2 Prepare the chicken: Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.
Step 3 Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper.
Step 4 Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
Roast the chicken for 1 ½ hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.
Serve these dishes with Roast Chicken
There are many side dishes that pair well with roast chicken. Some classic options include roasted or Ina Garten's Roasted Potatoes, green beans, carrots, or a salad.
You could also try serving some roasted vegetables such as Air Fryer Frozen Brussel Sprouts, Smoked Asparagus, or Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli.
For a more unique twist, consider serving some quinoa or couscous with herbs and vegetables, or a warm grain salad with roasted sweet potato, kale, and feta cheese. The options are endless, so feel free to get creative and experiment with different flavors and textures.
Tips for Cooking Roasts
- Before deciding what type of roast to cook, check to see what temperature that roast needs to be cooked to and take a mental note of that.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of the roast.
- Find a roast pan for cooking medium to large-sized roasts in the oven. This one below I really like a lot.
- Stainless Steal 13 x 16-Inch Roaster - Roast meat, poultry, and vegetables to perfection with this versatile roaster. Holding up to a 20-lb. turkey, the heavy-duty stainless-steel roasting pan features tall, straight sides, which help prevent splatters and spills, while its upright handles ensure a secure hold when transporting the pan to and from the oven, even when wearing thick oven mitts.
Storage Tips
Always store leftovers in clean, food-grade containers. The type of container doesn’t really matter. Use zip lock, glass, plastic, whatever! Just make sure the food is sealed tight before storing in the fridge or freezer.
Recipe FAQS for Roast Chicken
Ina Garten typically roasts chicken at 425°F. This higher temperature helps create crispy skin while keeping the meat juicy and flavorful.
The key is not overcooking the chicken. Roasting at a high temperature and allowing the chicken to rest for about 10–15 minutes after cooking helps the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
Roast chicken should be cooked uncovered so the skin becomes golden brown and crispy. Covering the chicken traps steam and can prevent the skin from crisping.
Other Recipes to Try
If you tried this Ina Garten’s Perfect Roast Chicken or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Follow along on Tiktok @jennarecipediaries
Recipe adapted from Food Network
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Ina Garten's Perfect Roast Chicken
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min
- Total Time: 2 hr 10 min
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Intermediate
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Ina Garten’s Perfect Roast chicken is so moist and flavorful no wonder why people love this chicken so much! It’s seasoned with some fresh lemon, thyme, and garlic
Ingredients
- 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
- 2 tablespoons (¼ stick) butter, melted
- 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
- 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
- Roast the chicken for 1 ½ hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.
Nutrition
- Calories: 498
- Sugar: 3.9g
- Sodium: 253.2mg
- Fat: 18.2g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 8.7g
- Fiber: 2.5g
- Protein: 71.5g
- Cholesterol: 216.3mg
Alisa Albert says
I make it all the time. Always a success!
Juanita says
Absolutely delish! I used my fresh thyme from the garden. This is the second time I've made it in a couple months. Thank you Ina.
Linda Blakely says
Perfect doesn't begin to describe this roasted chicken! It was fabulous and will replace my long-time go-to Myra Waldo French Roast Chicken! I did turn the oven down to 375 20 minutes after I put it in the oven. The carrots and onions (left out the fennel) were fabulous - would add more next time. So Good!
Linda Perry says
It’s perfect every time!
JoJo says
Made this with my SIL one night in March for the two of us and her three kids. We fed my niece and nephews and then we went to town! SO GOOD! Making it again tonight for my family. It already smells fantastic! Only thing I didn’t do was fresh thyme. Didn’t feel like going to the store! I’ll keep you posted as to hubby and daughter’s opinion, and boy are they opinionated!
L says
This is THE best way to roast a chicken. The high heat seems to be the key to success here; juicy chicken is always the result. Thank you!
Heather says
Great every single time! I change up the veggies, depending on what I have available.
Sandy Lindquist says
I have made this SO many times and I cant remember one of those times when there were not any ooos and ahhhs! This woman makes it easy and all her recipes are clean and to the point. Make this chicken recipe, you will kick yourself for not having done it sooner.
Gail Lynch says
this was great EXCEPT putting lemons in with their skin made the sauce very very bitter
If I had been thinking I would have caught that and substituted using lemon juice and more than
was called for. I also found the garlic still uncooked when the chicken was ready so I just popped that back in the oven to get squishy. Aromas were fabulous - oh and I thought in a small glass of white wine at the end to
increase the volume of sauce.
Barbara says
Cooking the butter baisted chicken at 425' filled the kitchen with smoke.
My oven was clean too. I had to turn it down to 350 after the first half hour.