Easy Cast-Iron Skillet Chicken has golden brown, deliciously crisp skin with moist, tender, flavor-packed meat. This recipe features a whole chicken roasted in a cast-iron skillet in the oven. It’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner, yet it’s also fancy enough to serve company or for a special occasion!
Simple to prepare, before cooking, a whole roaster chicken is generously blanketed with butter, seasoned to perfection, and then roasted in the oven.
Juicy on the inside and loaded with flavor, like my Grilled Spatchcock Chicken, and Smoked Spatchcock Chicken, this roasted whole chicken recipe will quickly become one of your “go-to” favorites.
Cast-iron skillet chicken is classic comfort food and is a Sunday supper tradition in many parts of the country. And while you can roast a chicken in a regular baking pan, cooking it in cast iron is the best way to cook a whole bird.
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Ingredient notes:
- Whole chicken – while technically, you can use a broiler-fryer in this recipe; they are usually much smaller, and the cooking times will need to be adjusted. Roasters that are larger and weigh between three and five pounds will work much better.
- Butter – keeps the meat moist and adds a rich buttery flavor. It also helps the skin crisp up.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper – perfectly season the bird and enhance all of the flavors.
- Fresh lemon, garlic, and rosemary – add even more flavor. (garlic and rosemary not pictured)
How to roast a whole chicken in a cast-iron skillet:
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Remove any giblets and pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Take the handle of a wooden spoon and insert it between the skin on the breast and meat to gently loosen the skin so you can spread the butter under the skin.
- Take about half of the softened butter and use your fingers to insert it under the breast skin. Spread the remaining butter evenly over the rest of the bird.
- Liberally sprinkle kosher salt and pepper inside and outside of the poultry. I know this seems like a lot of salt, but trust me, you need it.
- Place the prepared whole chicken in a well-seasoned ten or twelve-inch cast-iron skillet.
- Insert the lemon quarters, two to three whole cloves of peeled garlic, and one to two sprigs of fresh rosemary in the cavity.
- Tuck the wing tips under and truss (tie together) the legs with kitchen string.
- Roast the bird for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. Once the internal temperature, as measured by a meat thermometer, has reached 160 to 162° F, remove it from the oven. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. The internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise to 165° F, which is the safe temperature according to the USDA.
- To serve, carve it, then garnish it with lemon slices and rosemary or parsley.
Advantages of cooking chicken in cast iron:
- Versatile cast iron cookware is a true workhorse in the kitchen.
- Cast-iron skillets are perfect for cooking everything from desserts such as Cranberry Upside Down Cake and Blueberry Upside Down Cake, breads such as Southern Cornbread and Orange Cinnamon Rolls, side dishes such as Smoked Baked Beans, and probably the most famous dish of all, Southern Fried Chicken.
- Cast iron is durable, requires very little care, and can last a lifetime. The cast iron skillet I used in this recipe was my mother’s and her mother’s before that.
- When they are correctly seasoned, cast-iron skillets are non-stick, and they not only retain heat but also distribute the heat much more efficiently, which means your dish cooks evenly.
- Because they hold the heat so well, food cooked in them becomes a glorious golden brown.
Recipe variations:
Because of the simplicity of this recipe for cast-iron skillet chicken, it is very easy to modify it by changing up the toppings or adding some veggies to the skillet. Some ideas include:
- Instead of regular butter, substitute my Garlic Herb Compound Butter or Maple Bourbon Butter.
- Add a rub instead of just seasoning it with salt and pepper. Check out my Broiled Chicken Thighs or Grilled Beer Can Chicken recipes for rub recipes.
- Add a glaze like the apricot glaze on Grilled Pork Tenderloin or spicy peach glaze on my Double Smoked Ham recipes.
- Change up the herbs and use your favorite combinations.
- For a complete meal, before cooking, nestle some cut-up root vegetables such as white potatoes, sweet potatoes, fennel, carrots, parsnips, or onions in the skillet, or you can even place the veggies on the bottom of the skillet and then place the chicken on top.
Recipe FAQs:
A chicken weighing about four and a half pounds will take about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes at 425° F to cook perfectly. If your poultry is larger or smaller, it will take more or less time. However, it is essential to cook to the internal temperatures listed and not rely on the clock.
A bonus: you can use the hour or so roasting time to put your feet up and visit with family and friends. A real plus in my book!
Roast chicken is done when it registers 165° F on an instant-read digital meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast, not touching the bone.
A reliable digital instant-read meat thermometer is a must when cooking any meat and will guarantee it is perfectly cooked every time.
I use an inexpensive DOT thermometer, which uses a probe inserted into the meat to monitor the internal temperature. I set the temperature I am looking for, and the DOT beeps when it’s done.
This recipe is so versatile you can choose practically any of your favorite sides. I usually serve it with either Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes, Easy Southern Potato Salad, or Easy Southern Scalloped Potatoes.
I like to pair it with Southern Cucumber and Tomato Salad or fresh sliced tomatoes in the summer. If you need more ideas, here are links for all of my side dish and salad recipes.
In the unlikely event you have any leftovers, they will store covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. If you want to freeze them, they can be stored in airtight freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Leftovers can also be used to make my Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad, Wild Rice Chicken Salad, Chicken Ranch Dip with Cream Cheese, Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole, or Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup.
Carving a whole bird is easy if you have a sharp knife, and it’s just like carving a turkey. First, cut off the thighs and leg quarters at the thigh joint where it meets the breast. Then cut the thighs and legs apart at the joint that separates them.
Next, cut the breast meat off by placing your knife in the middle of the chicken at the breastbone and sliding it down at an angle as close to the bone as possible. Then cut the breast meat into thick slices and cut off the wings at the joint where they are attached to the chicken. Repeat on the other side.
Be sure to save the carcass to make Homemade Chicken Stock.
Sharon’s tips:
- While technically, you can use a broiler-fryer in this recipe; they are usually much smaller, and the cooking times will need to be adjusted. Roasters that are larger and weigh between three and five pounds will work much better.
- If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, you can use a regular baking pan. Be sure to spray it with non-stick cooking spray first.
- I used rosemary in this recipe, and it’s my favorite, but feel free to experiment with adding other herbs. Thyme would be a good choice, as would tarragon.
- I know you are tired of me saying this, but if you don’t have one, please get a good instant-read digital meat thermometer. It will make all of the difference in the world.
- If you have never trussed a chicken (which is really just tying the legs together), check out this how-to video. You don’t have to do it, but trussing ensures that the chicken cooks evenly.
More cast-iron skillet chicken recipes:
Need more menu ideas or recipes? You can find all of my chicken recipes here.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
📋 Recipe:
Easy Cast-Iron Skillet Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Ten or twelve-inch well-seasoned cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 4 pounds whole chicken, choose a roaster, instead of a broiler- fryer
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 lemon
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, skins removed
- 4 tablespoons softened butter
- 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Remove any giblets and pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Take the handle of a wooden spoon and insert it between the skin on the breast and meat to gently loosen the skin so you can spread the butter under the skin.
- Take about half of the softened butter and use your fingers to insert it under the breast skin. Spread the remaining butter evenly over the rest of the bird.
- Take about half of the softened butter and use your fingers to insert it under the breast skin. Spread the remaining butter out evenly over the rest of the chicken.
- Liberally sprinkle kosher salt and pepper inside and on the outside of the poultry. I know this seems like a lot of salt, but trust me, you need it.
- Place the prepared whole chicken in a well-seasoned ten or twelve-inch cast-iron skillet.
- Insert the lemon quarters, two to three whole cloves of peeled garlic, and one to two sprigs of fresh rosemary in the cavity.
- Tuck the wing tips under and truss (tie together) the legs with kitchen string.
- Roast the bird for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. Once the internal temperature has reached 160 to 162° F, remove it from the oven. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. The internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise to 165° F, which is the safe temperature according to the USDA.
- To serve, carve it, then garnish it with lemon slices and rosemary or parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally published on December 14, 2015.
Love this recipe, it’s been awhile since I’ve prepared this.
Sharon, you always have the best recipes! Also, I love your suggestions on what to serve with this crispy chicken.
Hey Kristy,
You are so sweet! Thank you so much for your kind comments!
All my best!
Sharon