Kittencal's Best Blasted Rapid-Roast Whole Chicken

Reviews

• "I didn't get the crispy skin, but I attribute this to the fact that my chicken was about a pound larger than the one in the recipe, and I probably didn't cook it at 450 for long enough. Even still, this was one of the best roast chickens I've ever made. It was really juicy, and the skin was delicious (and I don't usually eat the skin). I will definitely do this again, thank you! Update: I recently cooked a 5.25 lb chicken this way. I cooked it at 475 degrees for the first 20 minutes, and at 400 for about an hour after that. It was perfect, with really crispy skin and super moist meat!"

  By GiddyUpGo on October 10, 2010 | 1153823

• "10 stars, 10 stars!!! This was the most delicious chicken ever!! I had a larger chicken 4-5lbs and as you recommended Kitten, I roasted at 475 for the 20 minutes and then at 400 for a whole hour. I doubled the butter/oil/lemon mixture and added celery salt and herbs de provence to the seasonings. I rubbed the chicken both under and on top of the skin and let it marinate for just 45 minutes. It was so moist and perfectly cooked and the skin, wow... was just amazing. My husband and I both are so very happy with this recipe!! Thank you so much Kitten!!"

  By HeidiSue on January 05, 2010 | 1024127

• "This is my default roasted chicken recipe. I vary what seasonings I use on the outside of the chicken: Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, herbs de provence, etc. Also good to put root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc. underneath the chicken. They get roasted and caramelized as well with the butter and chicken fat dripping on them from above. Yummy!"

  By Neohippie on January 07, 2010 | 1025111

• "Oh. My. God. This was THE BEST roasted chicken I have ever eaten. Ever. I roasted it on a layer of veggies with some chicken stock in the bottom of the pan. The resultant sauce was delicious on the chicken, the garlic mashed potatoes and the steamed broccoli that accompanied it. THANK YOU, Kittencal, for another winner."

  By Chef #1497840 on January 21, 2011 | 1185194

• "This is so good!! And so moist. I have made twice now. Be sure and use all the butter, oil, lemon juice mixture or the seasonings will have nothing to stick. too. Don't try to not use them to save on calories it is not worth it. I added some lemon pepper to the seasoning mixture this last time. It is still in the oven but I made exactly as said before. though I poked lemon then cut in half to get all the flavor I could out of the lemon . I love lemon -Without the spices it may be reminiscent of purchased rotisserie chicken but with it it is sooo much better. Mine was a 4.5 lb chicken at 10 minutes longer it was not done. I am still cooking but could not wait to taste I am hungry thinking about it.UPDATE 7-13-11 I have made 4 times and the first time I used all the spice on the outside the last time I added more seasoning salt and put part inside the chicken I loved it better when I used all on the outside as it was so much more flavorful. From now on on the outside only for me.UPDATE 10-3-11 My I eat this often I am making again. I can't find a chicken that is only 3 -3/1/2 lbs. All the chickens in my area are almost 5 lbs. or larger"

  By muffinlady on October 05, 2011 | 1255551

• "I've made this several times, and my family has loved it every time! This is our most-used recipe for whole chicken! Moist and juicy, and very tasty!
  
  I didn't have any seasoning salt on hand, so I substituted 2-3 tablespoons of Recipe #264354.
  
  Kittencal delivers again! Thank you!
  
  I also want to add that I did not have cotton string to truss the chicken, so I cut holes in the extra skin by the legs and used the skin to secure the legs."

  By Pale Rose on March 07, 2011 | 1198121

• "Good recipe, but cooking to 175-180 is unnecessary and will dry the chicken out. I always cook mine to 165, sometimes 167 or so internal, then let it rest and cook up a bit for about 15-20 mins. The 180 internal thing is outdated and causes overcooked chicken."

  By dca22 on September 19, 2011 | 1251725

• "Delicious, Delicious, Delicious! I was able to satisfy my entire family with this recipe. My husband said that it was very moist (it was). My very picky children came back for seconds and it was the first thing that disappeared off their plate!
  
  I didn't have cayenne pepper, so I subsituted with chili powder. I wasn't sure if you were supposed to put the lemon in with the peel or not, so I did my best to peel the lemon.
  
  I believe this recipe has become a new house hold favorite!"

  By Chef #1447779 on August 04, 2010 | 1136637

• "i must say i am impressed! i normally use a different recipe but today was kind of a hectic day and i realized i forgot to prep the chicken the night before :( don't you just hate it when that happens! so in a panic as it got closer to dinner i came back to my trusty computer and found my way to this recipe! and boy am i glad i did! now i left the lemons and lemon juice out (i have never enjoyed lemon) but it was still just wonderful! far juicier then the other chicken i make! thanks for posting!"

  By Gamer Gal on March 24, 2010 | 1073655

• "Simply divine. My 8-year-old typically doesn't eat meat - the only chicken she'll touch is chicken nuggets or Buffalo Wild Wings. But she simply devoured this and was disappointed when all the dark meat was gone! This is seriously unheard of, so I'm extremely impressed. I did alter the seasonings a bit (using olive oil, regular salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme). Also, I roasted it for 15 minutes at 450 with the breast side down (makes the white meat more juicy and flavorful), flipped it over, did another 15 minutes at 450, and then dropped it to 400 until done. Perfect!"

  By ItalianMama on October 06, 2012 | 1337722

• "D LISH is all I have to say....I added some water in the pan along with some potatoes and carrots that I sprinkled with some season salt and the chicken just came out soo juicy and flavorful. YUM!"

  By alilicha on January 15, 2012 | 1280395

• "The skin on this chicken was crunchy and tasty! Love this recipe and it will be my new whole chicken go-to recipe. Thanks!"

  By BeckaBoo on May 25, 2011 | 1220275

• "I know this does not need another review, but after making this for the 4th time, my mouth still waters for this. Please try this recipe. I do not like white meat because it seems dry and tasteless. I now gobble it up, it seems to melt in your mouth. FOLLOW the recipe, do not add or take away. Kittencal you out did yourself on this one, but I thank you from all my families hearts!!
  
  Pat Merwin"

  By Chef #1056537 on January 15, 2011 | 1182401

• "Can't I give this a "10"???? OMG- I have NEVER had white meat SO juicy and tender! My husband was floored and said that he thinks that this was the BEST chicken he has had in his LIFE (and that's saying a lot!) Kittencal, you've done it again...I'm a committed fan! If you wrote a cookbook, I'd buy it- that's a fact!
  
  Recipe notes- I did have a difficult time covering the skin with the butter mixture and then rubbing the spice mixture on top. I pulled back the skin to put some of the butter mix on it and the spice mix as well. The skin tore a bit, so I wove it back together with a toothpick. I also used the lemon I had cut in half for the lemon inside which worked just fine and I didn't waste anything. After tying the legs together, I wove the open skin together with another toothpick vertically and pulled the tail up to seal the inside closed."

  By Susie R. on October 18, 2010 | 1155814

• "So juicy and tender. OMG. I love this chicken."

  By huckleberrypie on July 29, 2010 | 1135745

• "Talk about tender and juicy....we all loved this recipe. I did not have a whole lemon so I made sure I poured some of the juice inside the cavity of the chicken. I will however work the seasonings and lemon mixture under the skin a bit so that flavoring gets all the way through the meat. Thanks!"

  By Chef_Beauchamp on July 28, 2010 | 1134925

• "Fabulous!"

  By Heather V. on June 09, 2010 | 1112700

• "Very good. I used 7 lb chicken and it was delish. I did have a hard time getting the spices to stay on though, but all and all very tasty!"

  By Chill on May 07, 2010 | 1096397

• "Excellent recipe!!! So easy and so tasty. I doulbled the cayenne and lemon juice and garlic and had a 4 lb turkey and it was done in about an hour!!!! Husband loved it - thank you!!!"

  By Le Poonce on April 25, 2010 | 1090438

• "Fantastic! Made it for my first xmas dinner at my house... SO GOOD. I love the bit of kick with the cayenne pepper."

  By Jen's*Kitchen on April 09, 2010 | 1081659