Homemade Oven Roasted Whole Chicken

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ByMalinda Linnebur Published Modified

This Homemade Oven Roasted Whole Chicken is moist, juicy, and super easy to make. The recipe uses a few simple seasonings to make a flavorful chicken that is perfect for a Sunday dinner or serving to guests. Plus, the leftovers make for great meal prep to use throughout the week!

Oven roasted whole chicken with golden brown skin on roasting pan.

Oven Roasted Whole Chicken Recipe

Happy New Year everyone! I hope your holiday season was a wonderful one! Are you guys ready for the New Year? Do any of you make resolutions?? 

If you have been reading this blog for a little while, you know by now that I DON’T make resolutions. I do, however, love making this homemade oven roasted whole chicken, and it’s perfect for those of you looking to do some meal prepping this year.

This is the best rotisserie chicken recipe out there, and I stand by it! Even better than store-bought — trust me on this!

It’s crispy on the outside and wonderfully juicy on the inside. AKA, everything I look for in rotisserie chicken recipes! I’m going to teach you everything you need to know about making one yourself, including the ingredients you’ll need and how long to rotisserie a chicken.

Looking for things to serve with your rotisserie chicken recipes? Try Skillet Garlic Green Beans, Spinach Apple and Pomegranate Salad, or Bacon Mashed Potatoes!

Why You’ll Love This Baked Rotisserie Chicken

  • Easy to make
  • Tender and juicy with deliciously crispy skin
  • Only requires basic seasonings, which you probably already have in your pantry
  • Family-friendly
  • Leftover oven roasted whole chicken makes for the best meal prep
Slices of the best rotisserie chicken on white plate.

Key Ingredients to Make One of the Best Rotisserie Chicken Recipes Ever

All you’ll need is a whole chicken and an assortment of simple seasonings! Make sure to refer to the recipe card below for specific quantities, as well as instructions on how long to rotisserie a chicken.

  • WHOLE CHICKEN – I suggest picking up a 5-pound bird for this recipe. Opt for the chicken with the latest expiration date and plan to use it within 1-2 days of buying.
  • OLIVE OIL – To help the seasonings stick and for extra crispy skin.
  • SALT & PEPPER – For the dry rub and o taste!
  • PAPRIKA – To add a pop of color and flavor to the dry rub.
  • GARLIC & ONION POWDER – My favorite savory seasonings. They go so well together and with the other ingredients!
  • CAYENNE PEPPER – To add some heat! Feel free to adjust the quantity based on your preferred spice level.

How to Make Oven Roasted Whole Chicken

RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).

COMBINE THE SEASONINGS: Add the salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper to a small bowl and mix to combine.

PREP THE CHICKEN: Remove the giblets from the chicken, then rinse the whole chicken in cold water. You need to dry it very well — pat it thoroughly with paper towels.

SEASON THE CHICKEN: Rub the bird with olive oil, then rub the spice mixture over the entire chicken. Place in a baking dish, cast iron skillet, or rimmed baking sheet.  

ROAST IN THE OVEN: Bake for 80-90 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees F and the juices run clear. Baste with juices 3 times during the cooking process for maximum juiciness.

LET REST AND SERVE: Let the chicken rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. This extra time helps the juices reabsorb into the meat so you get moist chicken.

Baked rotisserie chicken in cast iron skillet with fresh herbs on top.

Tips for Making the Best Rotisserie Chicken

  • To ensure maximum juiciness, baste the chicken often (at least 3 times) during the roasting time. You’ll end up with the best rotisserie chicken every time. I will admit that I am not great at remembering to do this myself, which is why I added a note here!
  • If you want to cook the chicken more slowly, roast it at 300 degrees F for 3-3 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
  • Use a quality meat thermometer to check the temperature of the thickest part of the chicken. This is the best way to ensure you don’t overcook it.

FAQs

Can I make oven roasted whole chicken in the crockpot instead?

Yes! Just place the spice-rubbed chicken into the crockpot and cook on Low for 6-8 hours or High for 3-4 hours. The skin will not be crispy, just so you know, but the chicken meat is still tender and juicy!

Can I roast two chickens at the same time?

Yes, you can roast two chickens at the same time, and it really doesn’t take much longer! You may need to add some additional time. If roasting in different pans, you may also want to rotate the racks they are on halfway through the baking.

What do I serve with baked rotisserie chicken?

You can serve any number of veggies, a green salad, and fresh bread with baked rotisserie chicken. Some of my favorites for this chicken are Skillet Garlic Green Beans, Spinach Apple and Pomegranate Salad, Bacon Mashed Potatoes, or Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits.

What do I do with leftover rotisserie chicken?

Leftovers are perfect for meal prep! Shred or chop the chicken for salads like this Asian Chicken Salad, or soups like this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup. You can also use the chicken in Homemade Chicken Pot Pie or on this yummy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza. There are lots of ways to use it up!

How to reheat rotisserie chicken?

It’s easy! Simply preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, then heat the chicken for about 20-25 minutes or until warmed through. You could also reheat single servings in the microwave in 30-second increments until warm.

Slices of juicy rotisserie chicken with golden skin on white plate.

Other Recipes You Might Like

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Homemade Oven Roasted Whole Chicken

This Homemade Oven Roasted Whole Chicken is moist, juicy, and super easy to make. The recipe uses a few simple seasonings to make a flavorful chicken that is perfect for a Sunday dinner or serving to guests. Plus the leftovers make for great meal prep to use throughout the week!
Servings: 5 + servings
Author: Malinda Linnebur
This Homemade Oven Roasted Rotisserie Chicken is super easy to make, tastes better than the store bought, and can be used for so many other recipes!!
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½-1 tablespoon seasoned salt
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1½ teaspoons onion powder
  • ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 (5 lb) (2.2kg) whole chicken
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C).
  • In a small bowl, combine the salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Set aside.
  • Remove giblets from chicken and rinse chicken in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.  Rub chicken with olive oil then rub spice mixture over entire chicken. Place in a baking dish, cast iron skillet, or rimmed baking sheet.  
  • Bake for 80-90 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees F and the juices run clear. Baste with juices 3 times during the cooking process for juicier chicken. Let chicken rest 15-20 minutes before carving.

Notes

  1. Slower Cooking Option: Bake spice rubbed chicken at 300 degrees F for 3-3 1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees F and the juices run clear.
  2. Crockpot Instructions: Place the spice rubbed chicken into the crockpot and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.  The skin will not be crispy, just so you know, but the chicken meat is tender and juicy!
  3. You can roast 2 chickens at the same time, but you may need to add additional cooking time. If cooking in separate baking pans, rotate the rack they are on halfway through the roasting. 
  4. To ensure maximum juiciness, baste the bird at least 3 times during the roasting time. I will admit I am not the best at remembering to do this and they still turn out delicious. 
  5. Nutrition Facts: Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the information shown is just an estimate. Nutrition calculated with skin.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 699mg | Potassium: 296mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 436IU | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg
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Hi there, and welcome to Countryside Cravings. My name is Malinda and I love food! Here you will find recipes to please the whole family. I hope you’ll stay and have a look around.

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28 Comments

  3. 5 stars
    This turned out to be a two-fer for me. I roasted two chickens this way, then removed the back and wings and cut each of them in half. I now have 4 roast chicken dinners AND I am using the backs and wings today to add to my weekly stock pot of chicken broth. I decided this is going to be at least an every two week dinner prep for me, because the roast chicken halves can be used to the Oriental noodle bowls, in big dinner salads, for chicken salad. Definitely a keeper and a must do. Why take the time to roast one chicken when you can, for an extra five minutes of work, prepare two chickens and have multiple meals ready in a heartbeat. Thank you.

    Reply

  5. Thank you for sharing- I have been looking for my own recipe to make this- I am having Family Sunday this Sunday- I will be letting you know how it goes-💕

    Reply

  6. Yow! That’s terrible about the flu hitting your family hard. We had a stomach bug earlier this month, and it was equally disgusting and traumatic. 😉

    This rotisserie chicken looks AMAZING! I’m a sucker for a good roasted bird, and this one looks like it’s perfect! I cannot wait to try it!

    Reply

    2. We love this recipe and make it about once a week. I’d like to try making two at the same time. How much longer do I leave the chicken in?

      Reply

      1. When I do 2 chickens it has only taken about 10 more minutes. Check your chickens after 80 minutes though just to be safe since ovens cook differently! Thanks for asking and let me know how you like them!

        Reply

    1. Oh, my gosh that story was hilarious!!! And I have to agree that febreze is no match for vomit!! So glad someone was able to relate to that post. I didn’t know if I should write about it or not! Thanks Melissa!!

      Reply

  12. Hi Malinda….
    OH MY GOODNESS….what a trip!!
    Happy to hear you’re all back home and on the mend.
    This is a trip you won’t be forgetting soon.

    This chicken looks so delicious!
    I’m going the two chicken way, dinner now and then dinners for other days.
    Thanks Malinda, have a nice day!
    HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

    Reply
5 from 5 votes

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