This Damn Good Roasted Chicken is a moist flavorful mouthwatering chicken that is incredibly easy to make and will make everyone say "damn that's good".
You'll be saying "winner winner chicken dinner" when you make this. The end result is a flavorful crispy skin and moist tender meat. I cook this chicken on my Traeger smoker grill, but it can easily be done in your oven. This earned its title because my foodie sister came over shortly after I made it, cut herself a bit, and said "damn that's good".
This chicken is rather easy to make. Just throw together the dry rub and introduce it to your chicken. As with everything I make and eat, I'm a firm believer in the quality of my ingredients. So when the air-chilled organic pasture-raised happy-as-can-be chickens had their one-day-a-year half off sale at Whole Foods, you better believe I stocked up and filled my deep freezer.
I'm not a huge fan of handling raw meat nor do I think it looks that appetizing, but isn't that spice rubbed bird downright gorgeous?
If you want to get the most flavor out of your chicken, wrap that sucker up tight and chill it in the frig for at least an hour. I prefer to do it overnight for two reasons: 1) it tastes REALLY good and 2) I always feel accomplished and really proud of myself when I wake up in the morning and already know what I'll be making dinner that night. Its the little things in life, right?
Don't forget to mop up all those wonderful juices with the meat. Those juices, right after that crunchy skin, are the best part. Ugh. I'm sitting here at 6:45pm, looking at these photos, and I haven't eaten dinner yet. Why do I torture myself so?
Damn Good Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (rinsed and dried)
- one spoon dry rub
Instructions
- Prepare one spoon dry rub.
- Place chicken on a large piece of plastic wrap. Cover entire surface with dry rub. Be sure to get underneath wings and drumsticks, as well as inside cavity, with any extra dry rub.
- Wrap chicken tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.
- Set BBQ or oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Insert meat thermometer into breast meat.
- Cook chicken, breast side down, for 30 minutes with lid closed. After 30 minutes, flip chicken so the breast side is up. Continue cooking with the lid closed until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F. Remove from grill or oven and allow meat to rest with the thermometer still in place, loosely tented with foil, until the internal temperature reads 170 degrees F.
Celine
Hi
Do you have to cover the chicken(put a lid) when cooking in the oven?
Krissy
Hi Celine, I cooked this chicken in my traeger, but if I were to cook it in the oven I would not cover it. thanks, Krissy
Vicki
First I have to say that I really don't like blogs. They sometimes feel like a long winded diary entry that I am forced to sift through to get to my goal and mean as it may sound... I don't really care I am just here for the recipe. The worst is when they hide the link in a personal story. Anyway. Thank you for giving just enough to keep it interesting but not so much that I feel like I have stumbled across a page meant for your closest friends. Trying this chicken tonight and next week maybe the pretzel chicken tenders. Pretzels with chicken?!? My husband is gonna be a happy guy!
Krissy
Vicki - I actually really appreciate your comment and share your sentiments exactly! This chicken as well as the pretzel chicken are two of my favorites. Be sure to come back to let me know what you think! Thanks again, Krissy
Laura Morita-Yeun
Made this for Christmas dinner. I probably marinated it for two hours and it was still SO GOOD. I feel like I actually know how to cook when I make your recipes. And I love that I pretty much know that every single recipe of yours is gonna be amazing. THANK YOU!
spfoodie
Thanks Laura!!!
Jackie
I made this for dinner tonight. Even after only leaving it in the fridge for an hour, it was delicious! I had never roasted a whole chicken before, now I will make this all of the time. Thanks for a great recipe!
spfoodie
Thanks for letting me know!
Carlie
So if you roast in the oven do you still go breast side down at first?
spfoodie
Yep! If you start breast side down, you help the juices flow into the breast meat making it more wonderfully delicious. Then, you want to flip the bird over to finish to crisp up the skin. Krissy
Dan from Platter Talk
Great recipes for damn good chicken you have here; I've never used a rub but now you've got me thinkin'..... Nice post!
spfoodie
Thanks Dan!
Andrea
I now see the one spoon rub. This goes with chicken recipe? A bit confusing but looks yummy
spfoodie
Hi Andrea. Yes, I used it on the roasted chicken. I posted the rub as its own recipe, though, because it can be used on any meats - beef, pork, chicken. Its just a flavorful versatile blend. If you try it, let me know! -Krissy
Andrea
I just mixed up the rub. It smells so good. I used a little smoked paprika as well. I was almost out of regular. I will rub chicken and refrigerate till tomorrow. I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks!!
spfoodie
I'm roasting two chickens tomorrow since we're having company and will be using the rub. Its funny that I often consult my own blog for recipes. That's a good sign, right? 🙂
Heather
Am I missing something? Is there supposed to be a recipe or ink for the dry rub?
Heather
I meant link...
spfoodie
Hi Heather, The recipe is at the bottom of the post and you should be able to print or save it. Let me know if you're not seeing it. Thanks! Krissy
Andrea
There is no link to the rub???
Casey Dolan
This looks amazing! Can not wait to try!
spfoodie
You crack me up, Casey. When might I have the opportunity to roast you a damn good chicken?
spfoodie
And now I'm cracking myself up. I totally read your comment as you not being able to wait to try my chicken, as in me making it for you. I guess I need to get used to people looking at these and recreating them in their own kitchens. 🙂