Crispy Skin Oven Roast Chicken in Cast Iron Skillet
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There are many techniques on how to roast chicken with crispy skin. Here is one way that makes a a great crispy skin roast chicken that’s still moist and delicious. All it takes is a large cast iron skillet and you have a wonderful roast chicken dinner for the family. The best part is the leftovers. This chicken dinner just keeps on giving.
Crispy Skin Roast Chicken
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, definitely consider investing in one. They’re inexpensive, oven-proof and the perfect vessel for this roast chicken recipe.
- When heated on medium or high heat, the cast iron skillets not only heats up super hot but they also retain their heat.
- What the cast iron pan does so well is it allows you to sear the chicken to a great crisp on all sides before the chicken bakes in the oven and then place everything directly into the oven.
- You’ll be pleased at how easy this oven roast chicken is and how wonderfully juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside a baked chicken can be.
Video: How to Cook Crispy Skin Roast Chicken
How Long to Roast a Whole Chicken?
Times will vary so much depending on the size of the chicken. Most whole chickens are about 4 pounds to 4.5 pounds. Our recipe timing is based on a 4-4.5 pound chicken. But have you ever bought one of the Costco whole chicken? They can sometimes be over 6 to 6.5 pounds! That’s a huge chicken and timing is closer to 2 hours to ensure it’s cooked all the way through. We’ve tested this crispy skin whole chicken method on the Costco chickens and it always takes about 2 hours in the oven.
Buy a Meat Thermometer for Roasting Chickens
If you don’t already have one, you should buy a good meat thermometer. This ensures that the chicken is cooked through to all the way through the center. Last thing you ever want to do is to serve a chicken, start carving it and find out it’s not fully cooked through.
Crispy Skin Cast Iron Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole Chicken , about 4 pounds (@ 1.75kg)
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) Olive Oil or melted Butter
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Kosher Salt , or to taste
- fresh cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Pat dry the chicken. Coat chicken with olive oil or melted butter. Liberally season with salt and pepper. Truss chicken if desired.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet (large enough to fit your chicken) over medium-high heat. Brown each side of the chicken, about 3 minutes per side.
- After all sides are browned, place cast iron pan with chicken (breast side up) in the oven.
- Roast at 400°F (205°C) for about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh or the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C) when probed with an instant read thermometer (roasting time will vary depending on size of chicken – a very large chicken may even take up to 2 hours). If roasting a large chicken and the skin is getting too dark, cover with foil to prevent the skin from getting over cooked.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes covered with foil. Carve and serve.
Video
Nutrition Information per Serving
Roast Chicken Leftovers Ideas
You’ll have lots of yummy leftovers. There’s so many things to do with them and here’s our favorite ways to eat the chicken. This is why we love roasting whole chickens so much.
- Make a homemade chicken stock or broth. Freeze it for later when you need to make soups.
- Enjoy healthy chicken soup right away. Add some onion, veggies and some of the shredded chicken.
- Love thai soup? Our Hot and sour Thai chicken soup is healthier and better than a restaurant.
- Chicken salads are always fantastic.
- For sandwiches make our super easy chicken avocado bacon salad sandwiches
- Use the leftover chicken to make chicken enchiladas!
Best Everyday Recipes for you to enjoy:
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Recipe
- Air Fryer Crispy Garlic Roast Potatoes
- Easy everyday roast chicken recipe
- Grilled breakfast burrito
- Best ever egg salad recipe
- Oil less deep fried turkey
- More Roast Chicken Recipes in the Oven and Slow Cooker Recipes and a great Sriracha Oven Roast Chicken Recipe.
- This recipe was originally published in 2014 and republished with a new video and updated instructions.
- If you enjoyed this recipe please share it in the comments below! We love seeing your delicious creations. And tag us at #bestrecipebox on instagram to share your photos.
29 Comments on “Crispy Skin Oven Roast Chicken in Cast Iron Skillet”
I really love how perfectly crispy the skin comes out. It’s so good. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m going to make this for Christmas. I got the chance to make this over the weekend and it was so good.
this recipe was very good. my husband said I could make that again. next time I’m going to use butter and see the difference. I really enjoyed making it.
This was a lot easier than I had thought. It’s totally doable even for an amateur like me. Really easy to follow instructions. Thanks for the recipe.
Followed your steps thoroughly and was pleasantly pleased with the outcome. The chicken was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside… perfect. Really great recipe.
Brillant!!! I love browning the chicken before it cooks. So many chckens re not crisp at the grocery store.
I have not tasted the chicken yet but I know thisis going to be amazing!
Thank You,
Holly
Thank you Holly! So glad you enjoyed the crispy skin!
This is absolutely the best roasted chicken I’ve ever made! I follow your recipe to the letter. Not only is the skin crispy and delicious, the meat is moist, tender and full of flavour. Thank you!
Love this recipe- simple and reliable. Thanks!
Great recipe. Turned out just awesome. Crispy skin, beautiful color, moist and tasty chicken. This is my new go to recipe. My house also didn’t fill with smoke Like when I have tried to use other recipes with higher oven temps starting out.. Starting out on the stovetop helps a lot and gets the cast iron pan heated up before putting in the oven. Rubbed the chicken with melted butter, very flavorful.
Searing the outside really smoked up my kitchen, but ultimately, the chicken was delicious! Very simple prep and easy cleanup. I will definitely make this again.
It helps to have the windows open and the vent hood on high. But you’re right, the chicken is delicious!
Altered the recipe a little bit.. generously rubbed w olive oil, salted, seasoned w lemon pepper and then seared. after that was done, poured on some Sticky Fingers Carolina Sweet and sprinkled some more lemon pepper on top. It’s in the oven now, but i’ll post an update once it’s done! 🙂
Do you cover the chicken at all? I’m afraid of the top burning too much.
Hi Stacee,
Usually we don’t but it is a personal preference thing on how crispy you like the skin or how your oven roasts. Some ovens start to crisp the skin a little too much. We will check the chicken after about 50 minutes and look to see how it everything is browning. If needed, cover the chicken at this point with foil if it looks like it will crisp up too much for your preference.
Wow This truly is my new favorite Oven Roast Chicken Recipe.I’ve tried a lot of Oven Roast Chicken Recipe,and with this one I feel like I finally hit gold! Full chicken taste, beautiful gold colour,so so so so wonderful and tasty Oven Roast Chicken Recipe.Those look so perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
This was FANTASTIC. So easy too
Thanks Kelly! We love this recipe too and how easy it is to make.
It’s so easy. The taste is awesome. What a wonderful recipe. Love it. Thanks.
Made this recipe this evening.
Used olive oil, and it turned out FANTASTIC. Super easy, will definitely be making this again.
This chicken is so good this way. Have fixed it for my family many times. I use just melted Butter, Lemon Pepper, Lawry’s, Garlic and Onion Powder. I have a probe for my oven, so the oven shuts off when it is the right temperature. So easy and delicious!!! Thank you for the recipe.
When do you put on your additional seasoning? Before or after searing? Thanks
Hi Rachel,
You can do either. Usually we’ll do it before so we don’t forget after, but either timing works fine.
Hi – around how many pounds should the chicken be?
A 4 pound chicken will usually cook in the 1 hour 20 minute range, however you can cook as large or as small of a chicken as you’d like. Just adjust the time as needed.
Perfect chicken. ??? so good!
In one picture it looks like it is sitting on a rack….do you use a rack?
Nope. Just straight in the pan.
This chicken smelled heavenly while cooking – probably because I used butter – and it tastes amazing! I had always been a little afraid to roast my own chicken but I will definitely do it regularly now. Thank you so much!