I’ve really had a thing for my dutch oven lately. No, really, a little love thing. Like, I love to use my dutch oven so much, that I have an obsession with trying to cook all kinds of meals in it. And now…I’m roasting birds in it. Who knew that a dutch oven roast chicken would be so easy to make? It’s mind-boggling that I’ve never done this before—especially because I’m so obsessed with buying rotisserie chickens at the grocery store for meal prep. Why bother when I can just make it myself?!
Alright don’t get me wrong, I still love a good rotisserie chicken. But when you discover how easy it is to make a dutch oven roast chicken at home, you may be on the same boat as me. Because ooh boy is it easy.
So, how easy? How do you do it? Let me break it down for you. We’re going to make a lemon and herb softened butter then slather it all over the bird. Then we stuff the cavity of the bird with lemon, onion, garlic, and even more herbs before sealing those little legs with some kitchen twine. Pour in a little chicken stock, put the lid on, and stick in the oven.
Yep, I told you it was easy. I wouldn’t lie to you, would I?
Notes on making a dutch oven roast chicken
First, make sure the bird is totally defrosted. If you’re buying one frozen, I recommend leaving it in the fridge at least 48 hours before roasting it in the dutch oven.
Second, take out the innards. Your chicken likely will have a bag of innards inside of it. Some people like to cook those and use them for gravy—like my grandmother. I am not as cool and I just throw it out. Sorry, keeping it simple folks.
Next, stuff the bird. I quarter up a lemon (I just use the one I previously zested for the butter) and an onion, then throw in some garlic cloves (unpeeled) and some extra herbs I have. A few sage leaves, a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme.
Then, tie that bird up! Use kitchen twine to tie the legs together to keep the cavity nice and sealed. Here’s the twine I use.
After that, lift the skin on the top. Do this with clean hands people. With a little force, you can lift the skin covering the chicken breast on the top and slather half of your butter mixture in there. Really dig in there (lol, sorry) and spread the butter as deep as you can on both sides. Then slather the rest of it above the skin, on the thighs and legs, a little on the wings. Don’t leave any of that butter hanging.
Lastly, make sure your dutch oven has a lid. The chicken will be cooking in the oven with that lid for the first 60 minutes. So if you don’t have a dutch oven with a lid, do yourself a favor and treat yourself to one. TREAT YO SELF.
Dutch Oven Roast Chicken with Herbs
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 young chicken about 3-5 pounds
- 1 stick of butter softened
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary plus 2 sprigs for the cavity
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme plus 3-4 sprigs for the cavity
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage plus 3-4 leaves for the cavity
- 1 tsp salt plus extra for seasoning
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper plus extra for seasoning
- 1 lemon quartered, use the lemon from above
- 1 small onion quartered
- 4 garlic cloves unpeeled
- 1/2 cup chicken broth divided
- 15-20 mini potatoes
- 2-4 carrots peeled and chopped into sticks
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Lightly coat the dutch oven with olive oil.
- Place the chicken in the dutch oven.
- Mix the softened butter in a small bowl with the lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper.
- Lift the skin of the chicken and spread half the butter between the chicken skin and the meat.
- Slather the rest of the butter on top of the skin and on legs.
- Stuff the cavity of the chicken with extra herbs, quartered lemon, onion, and garlic cloves. Tie together with cooking twine.
- Pour 1/4 cup of the broth into the dutch oven around the chicken.
- Place the lid on the dutch oven and into the oven on the middle rack. Cook for 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the lid. Pour in the other 1/4 cup of broth.
- Add in the potatoes and carrots around the chicken in the dutch oven. Sprinkle with extra salt and pepper.
- Place the lid back on and cook for another 30 minutes.
- Remove the dutch oven lid and turn up the oven heat to 400 degrees. Cook for another 30 minutes, or until the bird reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- If you want to get the skin crispy on top, let the chicken sit under the broiler for 5 minutes.
Notes
More dutch oven recipe ideas
Cause y’all know I’m obsessed now.
- The Easiest ‘Pop’ Roast Recipe
- One-Pot Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
- One-Pot Bolognese
- Easy One-Pot Jambalaya
- Sourdough Bread
And don’t you worry, more dutch oven recipes will come! You’ll be the first to hear about it if you sign up for my newsletter right here. Wink, wink.
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