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Cast Iron Roast Chicken (Crispy Skin, Juicy Meat)

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Cast Iron Roast Chicken is a simple, one-pan recipe that delivers shatter-crisp skin and juicy meat every single time. Preheat your cast iron skillet, slather on butter, and roast at high heat until golden and sizzling. This is Sunday supper made easy; no carving anxiety required.

Quick Look at The Recipe

Ready In: 60-75 minutes | Serves: 4-6 | Difficulty: Easy | Make-Ahead Friendly: Yes (dry brine)

A whole roasted chicken in a cast-iron skillet garnished with lemon slices.
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Why You Will Love this Recipe

  1. Crispy Skin, Juicy Meat: Preheated cast iron and high heat give you perfectly golden skin and tender, flavorful meat.
  2. Truly One Pan: Roast your chicken with potatoes, carrots, or onions right in the skillet, dinner and cleanup done in one go.
  3. No Fussy Steps: No trussing gymnastics or special tools required; just butter, salt, pepper, and a good cast-iron skillet.
  4. Foolproof for Any Cook: Whether it's your first whole chicken or your fiftieth, the clear timing guide and thermometer tips make this recipe almost impossible to mess up.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

A whole chicken on a cutting board with salt and pepper shakers and a stick of butter.

You don't need anything fancy, just a few pantry staples and a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet.

  • Whole Chicken (3½-4½ lb): The perfect size for even cooking and juicy meat.
  • Butter: It's the secret to flavor and that crave-worthy crispy skin.
  • Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: Don't skimp; seasoning is what makes a simple recipe shine.
  • Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary: Classic aromatics that make your kitchen smell heavenly.
  • Optional Veggies: Add potatoes, carrots, or onions for a complete meal in one pan.

Recipe Variations

  • Swap the Plain Butter: Try my Garlic Herb Butter, Maple Bourbon Butter, or even my Orange Butter instead.
  • Add a Rub: Try my Chicken Dry Rub or a Cajun blend for a little kick.
  • Veggie Boost: Add potatoes, carrots, or fennel for a hearty, one-pan meal.
  • Fast Track: Spatchcock the chicken for extra-crispy skin and quicker cook time.

How To Make Cast Iron Roast Chicken

  1. Preheat the Skillet: Place a 10-12-inch cast-iron skillet on the upper-middle oven rack and heat to 425°F. Starting with a hot pan is the secret to that shatter-crisp skin.
Spreading softened butter over an uncooked whole chicken using fingers.
  1. Butter and Season: Pat the chicken dry. Loosen the skin over the breasts, rub half the softened butter underneath, and spread the rest over the top, season inside and out with salt and pepper.
A whole uncooked chicken with a sprig of rosemary and lemon quarters stuffed in the cavity.
  1. Add Aromatics: Tuck lemon quarters, garlic cloves, and rosemary inside the cavity. Truss the legs if you like (it helps the bird cook evenly, but it's optional).nds
A whole chicken in a cast iron skillet with the legs trussed and a temperature probe inserted in the breast.
  1. Add Chicken: Carefully pull the hot skillet from the oven, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil, and swirl or brush it to coat the bottom, then carefully add the chicken breast side up. (Optional) If you are adding veggies, before you add the chicken: Toss in your cut potatoes, carrots, onions, or fennel, listen for that happy sizzle, then nestle the chicken right on top, breast-side up.
Cast Iron roast chicken in a cast iron skillet garnished with rosemary and lemon.
  1. Roast: Return the skillet to the oven and roast 50-75 minutes, depending on the chicken's size (3½-4½ lbs usually take about 60 minutes). Check with an instant-read thermometer; it's done when the thigh hits 165°F.
  1. Rest & Serve: Transfer the chicken to a board, tent loosely with foil, and let it rest 15 minutes. Spoon those buttery pan drippings over the carved meat and bask in the compliments.
A roasted chicken with golden brown crispy skin in a cast iron skillet.

Optional Pro Tip

If you add veggies and like your potatoes extra crispy, once the chicken rests, remove it, then slide the skillet with your potatoes in it back under the broiler for a few minutes.

Serving Ideas

Storage and Leftovers

Recipe FAQs

What temperature should roast chicken be cooked to?

Roast until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F on a digital thermometer. Always cook to temperature, not time.

Should I rinse the raw chicken first?

Nope! Just pat it dry with paper towels. Rinsing spreads bacteria and doesn't help crisp the skin.

Why preheat the skillet for this roast chicken recipe?

A hot cast-iron skillet instantly starts browning and helps render fat, giving you extra-crispy skin.

What size chicken works best when roasting it?

A 3½-4½-pound bird cooks evenly and stays juicy. Larger birds need a bit more time.

Tips To Ensure This Recipe Turns Out Perfectly

  • Dry the chicken well before roasting (or let it air-dry in the fridge for extra crisp skin).
  • Preheat your skillet; this one step makes all the difference.
  • Season generously, under the skin and all over.
  • Use a thermometer; it's your best kitchen insurance policy.
  • Let the chicken rest before carving; your patience will be rewarded.

“After years of roasting Sunday chickens, I can promise that a good instant-read thermometer is worth its weight in gold, and I love the leave-in kind. It's the one tool that guarantees tender meat and perfectly cooked poultry every time.”

More Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Recipes You’ll Love

If you like this recipe, check out this link to all of my easy chicken recipes.

Join the Conversation

"In the South, a roast chicken isn't just dinner-it's a Sunday ritual with gravy on the side."

⭐ If you make this Cast Iron Roast Chicken, please leave a comment and a star rating below!
I'd love to know what sides you served it with-or your favorite way to season it.

Thank you for visiting Grits and Pinecones; I hope you come back soon!

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Perfect Roast Chicken in a Cast Iron Skillet garnished with lemon slices.

Cast Iron Roast Chicken (Crispy Skin, Juicy Meat)

Sharon Rigsby
Cast Iron Roast Chicken has golden brown, deliciously crisp skin with moist, tender, flavor-packed meat. It's easy enough for a weeknight dinner, yet it's also fancy enough to serve company or for a special occasion!
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 577 kcal

Equipment

  • Ten or twelve-inch well-seasoned cast iron skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 3½-4½ pounds whole chicken, choose a roaster, instead of a broiler- fryer
  • 1-2 tablespoons peanut oil or another high smoke point oil
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, If you use table salt, reduce the amount by half.
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 lemon, thickly sliced or quartered
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, skins removed
  • 4 tablespoons softened butter
  • 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • Optional: about one pound cut-up white or sweet potatoes, carrots, or onions

Instructions
 

  • Place a 10-12-inch cast-iron skillet on the upper-middle oven rack and heat to 425°F. Starting with a hot pan is the secret to that shatter-crisp skin.
  • 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 on the outside of the poultry. I know this seems like a lot of salt, but trust me, you need it.
  • 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 the legs if you like (it helps the bird cook evenly, but it's optional).
  • Carefully pull the hot skillet from the oven, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil, and swirl or brush it to coat the bottom, then carefully add the chicken, breast side up. (Optional) If you are adding veggies, before you add the chicken: toss in your cut potatoes, carrots, onions, or fennel, listen for that happy sizzle, then nestle the chicken right on top, breast-side up.
  • Return the skillet to the oven and roast 50-75 minutes, depending on the chicken's size (3½-4½ lbs usually take about 60 minutes). Check with an instant-read thermometer; it's done when the thigh hits 165°F.
  • Transfer the chicken to a board, tent loosely with foil, and let it rest 15 minutes. Spoon those buttery pan drippings over the carved meat and bask in the compliments.
  • Optional: If you add veggies and like your potatoes extra crispy, once the chicken rests, remove it, then slide the skillet with your potatoes back under the broiler for a few minutes.

Notes

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; a leave-in model is even better. It will make all 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. 
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. Larger roasters that weigh between three and five pounds will work much better. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 577kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 41gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 193mgSodium: 1987mgPotassium: 456mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 663IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg
Loved this recipe? Leave a rating & review!Click the stars ⭐️ below to let me know what you think or leave a comment. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you!

Grits and Pinecones has been serving up delicious recipes with a Southern flair for over a decade. From tried-and-true classics to modern comfort favorites, every dish is simple, reliable, and perfect to share with family and friends.

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Comments

    5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Leslie

    5 stars
    What a delicious meal this chicken made. Prep work is very easy. I used my antique cast iron skillet and put the birdie in the oven. It comes out delicious every time. It is now listed as a “Family Favorite”!

    Reply

    • Sharon Rigsby

      Hi Leslie, I am so glad your family enjoys this recipe! thank you so much for letting me know.
      All the best,
      Sharon

      Reply

  2. Mark Holloway

    5 stars
    Love this recipe, it’s been awhile since I’ve prepared this.

    Reply

  3. Kristy Murray

    Sharon, you always have the best recipes! Also, I love your suggestions on what to serve with this crispy chicken.

    Reply

    • Gritsandpinecones

      Hey Kristy,
      You are so sweet! Thank you so much for your kind comments!
      All my best!
      Sharon

      Reply