Roasting Chicken: How Long For A Perfectly Cooked Bird?

Roasting a chicken is a great way to prepare a juicy, flavourful meal with minimal effort. The cooking time for a roast chicken depends on its weight and the desired texture. A 3.5-lb chicken, for instance, would take 60-75 minutes to roast at 425°F, resulting in firm, juicy meat and a crisp, golden-brown skin. However, if you prefer your chicken with softer, fall-off-the-bone meat and a softer skin, you should roast it for 1.5-2 hours at a lower temperature of 325°F.

How to prep the chicken

To prep a 3.5-pound chicken for roasting, start by taking it out of the fridge 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking to let it come up to room temperature.

Next, you'll want to prep the chicken by removing the neck and giblets from the cavity and discarding them or using them to make chicken gravy. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.

Now, you can season the chicken. One option is to make an herb butter by combining butter with lemon zest, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Gently lift the skin near the breasts and smear the herb butter under it, on top of the breast meat. You can then sprinkle salt and pepper all over the outside and spread more herb butter over the outside of the chicken.

Another option is to drizzle the chicken with oil and season well with salt and pepper, rubbing it all over the bird. You can also season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper.

You can then stuff the chicken cavity with aromatics such as lemon, herbs, garlic, or onion. If you're using lemon, prick it all over with a sharp knife first or pop it in the microwave for 40 seconds to bring out the flavor.

Finally, truss the chicken by tying the legs together with kitchen twine. You can also tie the wings to the body or tuck them underneath.

Aromatics and seasoning

Firstly, you'll want to pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This helps the skin to crisp up during cooking.

Then, it's time to season the chicken. You can use salt and pepper, both inside the cavity and all over the outside of the chicken. Be generous with the salt—it will ensure a crispy and flavourful roast. You can also add other seasonings, like paprika, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, or sage.

Now, it's time to stuff the cavity. You can use a variety of aromatics, such as garlic, onion, lemon, thyme, rosemary, or sage. You can also add carrots and celery to the cavity for extra flavour. If you're using garlic, cut the top off a whole head of garlic to expose the cloves.

Don't forget to rub some softened herb butter under the skin of the chicken, on top of the breast meat. You can make herb butter by combining butter with lemon zest, rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Finally, you can place some chopped vegetables in the bottom of your roasting pan, and place the chicken on top. Drizzle the vegetables with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Oven temperature

A higher oven temperature of around 425°F will give your roast chicken a crispy, golden-brown skin. This is a good option if you're looking for a roast chicken with a crispy exterior and juicy meat.

On the other hand, a lower oven temperature of around 325°F will result in softer, fall-off-the-bone meat and a softer skin. This is a better option if you prefer your roast chicken to be more tender and easier to pull apart.

It's worth noting that the size of your chicken will also affect the roasting time. A larger chicken will take longer to cook than a smaller one, so you may need to adjust the temperature accordingly to ensure even cooking.

Additionally, if you're using a convection oven, keep in mind that it may cook faster, so you might want to reduce the temperature by about 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

Finally, it's important to let your roast chicken rest for at least 10-15 minutes after removing it from the oven. This allows the juices to redistribute and results in a more flavorful and juicy chicken.

Roasting time

The roasting time for a chicken depends on the weight of the chicken and the temperature of the oven. A 3.5-pound chicken will take about 1 hour and 10 minutes to roast at 425°F.

For a perfectly roasted chicken, it is important to note that the internal temperature is more important than the suggested cook time. A meat thermometer should be used to check that the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F.

At 425°F, a roast chicken will take about 20-25 minutes per pound. This will result in a chicken with crispy, golden-brown skin and juicy meat.

If you prefer your chicken with softer, fall-off-the-bone meat and softer skin, you can roast the chicken at a lower temperature of 325°F for 1 ½ to 2 hours, depending on its weight.

It is also recommended to let the chicken rest for at least 10-15 minutes before carving, to allow the juices to redistribute and seal in the flavour.

Resting and serving

After resting, it's time to carve and serve. There are a few different ways to carve a whole chicken, but a basic method is as follows:

• Gently pull one leg away from the body and slice through the leg meat and skin. Pull the leg away from the body until you hear the hip joint pop out. Place a sharp knife between the hip bone and body, then cut. Repeat on the other side.
• To remove the drumsticks and thighs, place the knife on the natural line separating the two and cut through the joint.
• For the chicken breast, slice along one side of the breast bone to remove one side of the breast meat. Remove the full breast and then slice into portions by laying it skin side up and slicing into thin portions. Repeat on the other side.

Roast chicken goes well with a variety of sides. Here are some ideas:

• Mashed potatoes
• Homemade gravy
• Roasted vegetables (e.g. carrots, potatoes, onions)
• Green beans
• Zucchini
• Salads (shredded chicken on top or mixed into a salad)
• Soup (e.g. chicken noodle soup, chicken and vegetable soup, creamy chicken soup)
• Rolls (e.g. homemade rolls)
• Bread (e.g. biscuits, dinner rolls)
• Other roasted/baked vegetables (e.g. broccoli, Brussel sprouts, potatoes)

Frequently asked questions