How to roast a whole chicken
Roast a whole chicken on a bed of sliced onions and carrots in a hot oven, around 425 degrees Fahrenheit, after patting it dry and seasoning it well. A bird of about four pounds takes roughly an hour. It is done when a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165. Rest it before carving, then simmer the bones with water for a stock that becomes soup later in the week.
Why it matters: One dish feeds four, and the bones make stock for a second meal.
Steps
- Heat the oven to about 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice two onions and two carrots into a roasting pan to make a rack.
- Take the chicken from its wrapping over the pan without rinsing it, and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Rub it with oil and season all over with salt and pepper, and inside with herbs or lemon if you like.
- Roast breast side up for about an hour for a four pound bird, until the thickest part of the thigh reads 165.
- Rest it for fifteen minutes while you make gravy or a sauce from the pan juices.
- Carve, and wash the board, knife and your hands in hot soapy water.
- Put the bones in a pot with water and the leftover vegetables, simmer for two hours, strain and chill.
Stop and call a professional if
- you are cooking for someone at high risk from food poisoning, such as a pregnant person or a very young child, and are unsure about doneness: always check with a thermometer
- someone gets sick after eating, with fever, blood in the stool or signs of dehydration: contact a clinician
Common mistakes
- Rinsing raw chicken in the sink, which splashes bacteria around.
- Carving before it rests, so the juices run out.
- Throwing away the carcass that could make stock.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to roast a whole chicken
What to say
Roast a whole chicken on a bed of sliced onions and carrots in a hot oven, around 425 degrees Fahrenheit, after patting it dry and seasoning it well. A bird of about four pounds takes roughly an hour. It is done when a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165. Rest it before carving, then simmer the bones with water for a stock that becomes soup later in the week.
What to show
- Heat the oven to about 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice two onions and two carrots into a roasting pan to make a rack.
- Take the chicken from its wrapping over the pan without rinsing it, and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Rub it with oil and season all over with salt and pepper, and inside with herbs or lemon if you like.
- Roast breast side up for about an hour for a four pound bird, until the thickest part of the thigh reads 165.
- Rest it for fifteen minutes while you make gravy or a sauce from the pan juices.
- Carve, and wash the board, knife and your hands in hot soapy water.
- Put the bones in a pot with water and the leftover vegetables, simmer for two hours, strain and chill.
Where it stops
Stop and call a professional if you are cooking for someone at high risk from food poisoning, such as a pregnant person or a very young child, and are unsure about doneness: always check with a thermometer.
Check question
Where do you check the chicken's temperature?
Answer: The thickest part of the thigh. The thigh is the last part to cook through.
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Quick quiz
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Related skills
Sources
- US federal food safety guidance for home cooks, 2026. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .