Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken

Name: Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (about 4-5 lbs.); 2 lemons; 5 cloves garlic (3 minced, 2 cut in half); 4 sprigs fresh rosemary (3 finely chopped, 1 left whole); 2 large onions (halved and thickly sliced, end scraps reserved); 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick); kosher salt (see notes); black pepper (see notes); 1 ½ lbs. potatoes (cut into 1" pieces, optional)

4 servings

servings

15 minutes

active time

1 hour 45 minutes

total time

Start Cooking

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 4-5 lbs.)

2 lemons

5 cloves garlic (3 minced, 2 cut in half)

4 sprigs fresh rosemary (3 finely chopped, 1 left whole)

2 large onions (halved and thickly sliced, end scraps reserved)

4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)

kosher salt (see notes)

black pepper (see notes)

1 ½ lbs. potatoes (cut into 1" pieces, optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Melt butter (4 tablespoons) in small bowl (I used my Pyrex measuring cup); add minced garlic (3 cloves), chopped rosemary (from 3 sprigs, about 2 tablespoons), the zest of the two lemons, and plenty of kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.

Place the onions in bottom of enameled cast iron dutch oven. Reserve the end scraps. If using potatoes, add them on top of the onions.

Prepare chicken by removing giblets from cavity and patting dry with paper towels.

Liberally season the cavity with salt and pepper. LIBERALLY.

Cut the zested lemons in half; reserve juice and save rinds.

The butter mixture will have hardened slightly by now. Using your hands, slather the mixture liberally over every part of the chicken and under the breast skin (being careful not to tear the skin).

Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the lemon rinds, onion scraps, remaining 2 garlic cloves, and rosemary sprig/stems. Place in dutch oven on top of sliced onions and potatoes, if using.

Tie the legs of the chicken together tightly using kitchen twine.

Pour reserved lemon juice over the chicken.

Roast chicken UNCOVERED for 15 minutes at 475, then reduce heat to 350 and cook STILL UNCOVERED for approximately 20 minutes PER POUND, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees (about 1.5 hours for a 4.5 lb. chicken). The chicken should be uncovered the entire time it cooks, unless it seems like it's burning (see notes).

Allow the chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.

Nutrition

Serving Size

Calories

554 kcal

Total Fat

40 g

Saturated Fat

15 g

Unsaturated Fat

22 g

Trans Fat

1 g

Cholesterol

173 mg

Sodium

237 mg

Total Carbohydrate

12 g

Dietary Fiber

3 g

Total Sugars

4 g

Protein

37 g