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40 minutes full roasted chicken

Full roasted chicken with garlic and herb brushing in no time!

Quick answerMakes 4 servings, ready in 70 minutes, cook at 230°c/460°F, USA cuisine.
By Jaron Kimhi··👁 578 views
Pan roasted chicken
Did you ever think of a full roasted chicken as a quick dinner? Me neither — until I tried the pan-roasted chicken recipe I'll present here.

This recipe came from one of America's Test Kitchen episodes — a full chicken in a home oven in 40 minutes (or less). At first I didn't buy it. I thought it was another TV trick and that a full chicken needs more time than that.

So I tried the recipe, and it works beautifully. Now you've got to try it too!

Pan roasted chicken pointers

  • Heat a cast iron pan in the oven for 30 minutes before adding the chicken.
  • Don't remove the chicken skin — it protects the meat from the direct heat of the oven, keeping it moist and tender.
  • Tuck the ties under the chicken's belly so the body surface is bigger for the roast.
  • The pan is not on direct gas heat — we go straight from the stovetop into the oven with the chicken.
  • Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature — we're looking for 80°C/165°F for a moist chicken.
  • Brushing the chicken with garlic olive oil and rosemary keeps it moist and adds flavor while still preserving that natural roasted chicken taste.
Pan roasted chicken When making chicken we need to be very precise — especially with a roasted chicken, because it dries out easily. The difference between a juicy, tender chicken and a stiff, stringy one is no more than 7 minutes. When making chicken in a stew you don't need to watch it as closely — the water keeps the chicken protected, prevents it from losing its juices, and balances the temperature. But roasted chicken is tricky. So go ahead and make this great recipe — it can be a hassle-free dinner with minimum effort that'll get you a lot of compliments.

Method

  1. 1

    Preheat cast iron pan· 30 minues

    preheat oven to 250°c/500°F and place the cast iron inside.

  2. 2

    preparing the chicken· 5 minutes

    If your chicken was in the fridge take it out as soon as you place the cast iron in the oven, we want it to be in room temperature. Cut the backbone and remove it (keep it in the freezer, it's great for a stock), turn the ties inside out so the skin is facing down and apply some pressure on the chicken to flatten it. Season with salt and pepper.

    pan roasted chickenpan roasted chicken
  3. 3

    cooking the chicken· 30 minutes

    Carefully remove the cast iron pan from the oven remember, the handle is super-hot) and immediately reduce temperature to 225°c/450°F . Place the chicken skin side down on the pan and insert into the oven.

  4. 4

    preparing spiced olive oil for the brushing· 3 minutes

    While the chicken is in the oven, pour the olive oil into a bowl, chop the rosemary and garlic and add to the olive oil, mix well and set aside.

    Pan roasted chickenPan roasted chicken
  5. 5

    brushing the chicken· 10 minutes

    After 30 minutes in the oven take the pan out and brush the chicken from all sides with the marinade Flip the chicken so now the skin side facing up, we want the skin to get crispy and not soggy because of the fluids accumulated in the bottom. Reduce temperature to 200°c/400°F , place the chicken in the upper rack of the oven and cook for 10 more minutes, I recommend checking the chicken after 7 minutes to see inner temperature, it should be 80°c/165°F.

    Pan roasted chickenPan roasted chicken
  6. 6

    carving the chicken and serving· 10

    Take out the chicken and let it rest for 5 minutes. Separate the different cuts, working out around the bones and serve immediately. Brush the chicken parts one more time with the remaining olive oil for extra flavor.

    Step 6Pan roasted chicken
Recipe by

Jaron Kimhi

Jaron Kimhi — self-taught home cook from Tel Aviv, writing and cooking every recipe on this site himself. 20+ years of tinkering in the kitchen, leaning toward slow cooking, classic technique, and honest ingredients.

More recipes by Jaron →

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Categories
ChickenGluten Free
Cuisines
USAInternational
Features
Gluten FreechickenOvenPaleo
Tags
roasted chickenfull chicken

Questions & answers

Do I really need a cast iron pan, or can I use something else?
Cast iron is key here — it's preheated in the oven so the chicken hits a screaming hot surface the second it goes in. A regular baking dish won't give you that same sear, so stick with cast iron if you can.
Why do I need to flatten the chicken instead of roasting it whole?
Flattening it (spatchcocking) means the whole bird cooks evenly and fast. A 2kg chicken done in 40 minutes is only possible because you've removed the backbone and pressed it flat — don't skip this step.
Can I prep the garlic and rosemary olive oil ahead of time?
Absolutely — mix the olive oil, rosemary, and garlic before the chicken even goes in the oven, or even the night before. Just keep it at room temperature while the chicken cooks so it's easy to brush on.
What if I don't have a meat thermometer to check doneness?
Get one — seriously, it's the only reliable way to hit that 80°c/165°F target the recipe calls for. Check after 7 minutes once you've moved the chicken to the upper rack, not after the full 10.
What do I do with the backbone I removed?
Toss it in a freezer bag and save it for homemade stock — the recipe actually tells you to do this, and it's worth it.

Nutrition per serving

100g/3oz
serving size
8g
Total Fat
2g
Saturated
60mg
Cholesterol
530mg
Sodium
0mg
Carbs