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Whole roasted chicken in a Dutch oven with potatoes and carrots.
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5 from 8 votes

Dutch Oven Whole Chicken

Learn how to make the best Dutch Oven Whole Chicken! It’s roasted in the oven until the skin is crispy and the meat is juicy and tender. Add some vegetables, like potatoes and carrots to make it an easy one pot meal recipe!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 927kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 5 pounds whole chicken
  • 1 pound baby potatoes
  • 1 pound carrots chopped
  • 1 cup chicken broth

Instructions

  • In a small mixing bowl, add 8 tbsp unsalted softened butter, 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried thyme, and ½ tsp black pepper. Using a fork, cream everything together until well combined. Set aside.
  • Prepare the chicken, by removing the goblet from the cavity. Then, pat dry it thoroughly from all the sides.
  • Rub the butter/seasoning mixture all over the whole chicken, including under the breast skin and inside the cavity.
  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • In a Dutch oven, add 1 pound baby potatoes, 1 pound chopped carrots, ½ tsp salt, and 1 cup chicken broth. Give it a stir.
  • Place the meat on top. Using a chicken twine, tie the legs tightly.
  • Cover the pot with the lid and bake at 425°F covered for 1 hour 15 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue baking for another 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 165°F and the skin is crispy and golden color.
  • When done, take it out of the oven and let sit on the counter for at least 10 minutes before carving and serving.

Notes

  • Crispy skin. Patting the chicken skin dry will ensure that the skin will come out perfectly crispy.
  • More flavor. Don’t forget to rub the butter/seasoning mixture under the breast skin and inside the cavity, so the meat will absorb more flavor.
  • Juicy meat. When the chicken is cooked and reached the safe temperature, take it out of the oven and let sit on the counter for at least 10 minutes. This way, will will have enough time to redistribute the juices and keep the meat moist.
  • Even cooking. To make sure the meat is cooked evenly, I take the chicken out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for at least 20 minutes to get to the room temperature.
  • Cooking time. In this recipe, I used 5 lb whole chicken, which takes 1 hour 15 minutes to cook with the lid on and 30 minutes with the lid off. If your chicken is a different size, you will need to adjust the cooking time.
  • Safety. To ensure the meat is safe to eat, you will need to use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach at least 165°F. Although, I like to keep it up to 170-175°F.

Nutrition

Calories: 927kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 64g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 265mg | Sodium: 1660mg | Potassium: 1387mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 20039IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 4mg