Is there anything better than enjoying a simple, home-cooked meal with the people you love? No fancy plating needed—just wholesome, delicious food shared in good company!
The other night, we had one of those perfect farm-to-table style dinners when my friend Alana came over. Since it’s corn harvest season here in the Prairies, creamed corn made its way to the table as our go-to side dish. Then Alana, knowing my love for homemade everything, convinced me to make a dessert using pre-made pie crust. I was skeptical at first, but the result—a quick and elegant pastry cream fruit tart—was a hit and proved to be a great idea for when you need a no-fuss dessert.
But let’s talk about the real star of the evening: the roasted chicken! I have quite a few chicken recipes up my sleeve, each with its own strengths. My spatchcock chicken, for example, is known for its super crispy skin and evenly cooked meat, while my salt-roasted chicken has a wonderful depth of flavor. But this recipe—this simple, no-frills roasted chicken—has been my go-to favorite for years.
While I often delve into the science behind cooking techniques, this recipe is refreshingly straightforward yet always turns out beautifully. Placing a bit of celery inside the cavity helps slow down the cooking of the breast meat, allowing it to cook more evenly with the legs. A dusting of garlic powder enhances the flavor, and starting the chicken breast-side down before flipping it halfway through ensures maximum juiciness.
The most important tip? Don’t overcook your chicken. A digital instant-read thermometer is your best friend here. When the chicken is just a few degrees away from your desired temperature, switch the oven to broil to finish cooking while getting that gorgeous, golden-brown skin.
I hope you give this Classic Simple Roasted Chicken recipe a try. As always, feel free to tag me on Instagram—I’d love to see what you’re cooking up! 🍗💛
Preheat the oven to 350°.
If you have time, allow the chicken to sit on the counter for 30-45 minutes. This will bring the meat closer to room temperature and allow it to cook quicker and more evenly. If you don't have the time, your chicken will still turn out great.
Dry the skin of the chicken with the paper towels.
Mix garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and season the chicken all over evenly coating the skin; make sure that at least 1.5 tsp of this mixture gets inside the cavity of the chicken.
Slice celery stalks in half and lay on top of foil lined baking sheet. Put 3 pieces inside the cavity of the chicken (aromatics, plus it will help to slow down the cooking of the breast so that legs and breast can cook at a more even pace.)
Lay the chicken breast side down on top of your celery. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Using 2 wooden spoons (insert one of them into the cavity), flip the chicken after 30 minutes of baking to now bake breast side up. At this time, if desired, you can brush the skin of the chicken with some olive oil to help the browning even more; if desired, you can skip this step.
If you don't want to flip the chicken, it should still be fine - just bake the chicken breast SIDE UP, the whole time.
After you flipped the chicken, continue roasting for another 40-50 minutes, until the internal temperature in the thigh reaches 175° (that's when the leg meat is no longer chewy,) and in the breast 165° (in accordance with the Government guidelines for poultry.) What you can do, is when you are a few degrees away from the target temperature, switch off the oven to the broiler for the last few minutes of baking.
The total roasting time should be around 1 hours and 15 minutes and will vary depending on the exact size of your chicken. If your chicken is extra small, or large, adjust the time accordingly.
Allow the chicken to rest uncovered, for at least 10 minutes, then carve and serve!
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°.
If you have time, allow the chicken to sit on the counter for 30-45 minutes. This will bring the meat closer to room temperature and allow it to cook quicker and more evenly. If you don't have the time, your chicken will still turn out great.
Dry the skin of the chicken with the paper towels.
Mix garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and season the chicken all over evenly coating the skin; make sure that at least 1.5 tsp of this mixture gets inside the cavity of the chicken.
Slice celery stalks in half and lay on top of foil lined baking sheet. Put 3 pieces inside the cavity of the chicken (aromatics, plus it will help to slow down the cooking of the breast so that legs and breast can cook at a more even pace.)
Lay the chicken breast side down on top of your celery. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Using 2 wooden spoons (insert one of them into the cavity), flip the chicken after 30 minutes of baking to now bake breast side up. At this time, if desired, you can brush the skin of the chicken with some olive oil to help the browning even more; if desired, you can skip this step.
If you don't want to flip the chicken, it should still be fine - just bake the chicken breast SIDE UP, the whole time.
After you flipped the chicken, continue roasting for another 40-50 minutes, until the internal temperature in the thigh reaches 175° (that's when the leg meat is no longer chewy,) and in the breast 165° (in accordance with the Government guidelines for poultry.) What you can do, is when you are a few degrees away from the target temperature, switch off the oven to the broiler for the last few minutes of baking.
The total roasting time should be around 1 hours and 15 minutes and will vary depending on the exact size of your chicken. If your chicken is extra small, or large, adjust the time accordingly.
Allow the chicken to rest uncovered, for at least 10 minutes, then carve and serve!
