Cast Iron Roast Chicken (Crispy Skin, Juicy Meat)

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

5 from 4 votes

Cast Iron Roast Chicken (Crispy Skin, Juicy Meat)

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!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 577kcal

Author: Sharon Rigsby

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