As a mother, I am constantly looking for recipes that will have my kids wanting seconds. Sometimes just a recipe that I can at least get them to try. This can be pretty difficult at times when my kids prefer a menu consisting of only elbow noodles and cheese. Other than the infamous cheesy macaroni, I am a stickler for an easy recipe that includes chicken. We love chicken in our house. Shoot, I love it even more due to the fact that it is actually something that my kids will eat! Once I find a good chicken recipe, I hold onto it for dear life. This recipe is one of those.
A whole chicken and some spices is all you really need. It was in and out of the oven in less than an hour and had my kids ready to eat it before the timer went off. Yes, it really does smell that good! Another great thing about using this recipe is that you can use the meat for other recipes. I have made a homemade chicken salad as well as in soups.
You can also prep this chicken for other meals down the road. Once you pull the meat off the bone, place it in a freezer Ziploc bag. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. I have done this for when I am wanting to make chicken pot pie later in the month and did not feel like using all the meat at one dinner.
I went for some fresh rosemary on our oven roasted chicken, but that can be left out. The absent rosemary will not change the taste of the chicken enough to even make a difference.
The options are endless with this Oven Roasted Chicken. So, get to the store for these simple ingredients!

Prep Time | 5 minutes |
Cook Time | 45 minutes |
Servings |
people
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- 1 4-5 pound whole chicken
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 twigs fresh rosemary
Ingredients
Poultry
Baking & Spices
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- Move your oven rack to the lowest position; preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. Set to the side.
- Remove the giblets if they are inside the whole chicken. Rinse the chicken with cold water, inside and out, before placing into the baking dish. Brush the outside of the chicken with the olive oil.
- Rub the spice mixture all over the outside of the chicken. If you are wanting to use the fresh rosemary twigs, place a few on top of the chicken
- Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Allow chicken to rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting. Don't forget to remove the rosemary twigs before eating!
If you are wanting to cook 2 whole chickens at the same time, increase your cooking time to about 70-80 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
This whole chicken can be prepped the night before: chicken can sit in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours after the spices have been rubbed on. I know some of us like the marinating process 😉
We love roasted chicken! It’s one of our favorite meals! I love how the flavor comes through.
This is a great recipe! My kids love chicken (as long as they have ranch to dip it in) 😉 Thank you for sharing! I’ll have to try this!
My family loves chicken, but I always “chicken” out and buy boneless chicken. Your recipe looks delicious, so I will have to pin it to try with my boneless chicken! 😉
I’ve been wanting to bake a whole chicken, but it was so intimidating until now! Definitely pinning and trying your recipe.
I always buy these from the grocery store. It’d be great to jus thane a home cooked one once in a while. You can use the chicken in so many things !
Yum! This looks so good! I’m pretty sure I could live off of roast chicken! It’s so versatile and never gets old!