Dutch Oven Roast Chicken with tender creamy potatoes and flavorful vegetables is a one pot whole chicken dinner recipe that can be roasted on a campfire or in the oven!
I have tons of information below on how you can make the most delicious whole roasted chicken complete with seasoned tender potatoes, onion, carrot and a buttery sauce.
Why this recipe works:
- Everything is cooked in one pot
- The chicken is incredibly tender and falls off the bone
- The potatoes and vegetables soak up all the flavor
- The dry rub combined with the butter and the juices from the chicken creates an unbelievable sauce
I love to roast chicken in my dutch oven when we go camping. There is nothing better than spending the entire day outside and then enjoying a hearty satisfying dinner cooked over the fire.
This is the absolute best recipe for a whole roasted chicken with potatoes and vegetables, and with a little prep work, it's an easy one pot dinner!
Because we love this chicken dinner recipe so much, we make it at home in the oven as well. I explain both the oven and campfire cooking methods below.
Ingredients:
This is an extremely simple way to cook a whole chicken and the entire recipe only requires six ingredients.
- Dry rub - you can use your favorite store bought dry rub but I will always recommend making my One Spoon Dry Rub. It's the best I've ever had!
- Whole chicken - mine was around 6 pounds
- Butter
- Baby potatoes, carrots, and an onion
How to make campfire dutch oven roast chicken:
- Before we left the house, I mixed up some of my one spoon dry rub, coated the entire chicken, and then wrapped it tightly in plastic wrap (photo 1). Keep it chilled until you're ready to cook.
- Heat the dutch oven over the coals and melt the butter. Then sear the chicken, breast side down, in the bubbling butter - ohhhh yeah (photo 2).
- Take the chicken out and set it aside so that you can add the vegetables to the pot (photo 3). Then set the chicken on top of the vegetables, breast side up, with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast.
- Add the lid, top with hot coals (photo 5), and cook until you hit the required temperature (photo 6).
Camping cooking tips:
- If you plan on making this meal while you camp, you can coat the chicken in the dry rub, refrigerate it for 1-2 days before you leave the house, and then transport the chicken in a sealed container so that it's ready to cook.
- Campfire cooking: If the fire isn't too hot, I like to set the dutch oven in one of those disposable aluminum turkey roasting pans on the grate above the fire. That keeps all of my coals in one place and using the grate just gets it up off the ground. If your fire is roaring, just cook it on the ground so you can maintain total control of your heat source.
- Maintain a 2:1 ratio of hot coals on the lid compared to the base. Heat rises, so you need more coals on top to create an even cooking temperature.
- Quartered potatoes will be ultra soft and they'll soak up all that delicious flavor. If you leave them whole, they won't be as good and will take longer to cook.
How to make a whole roast chicken in the oven:
The process is basically the same except that you won't be using coals.
- Mix up the dry rub (photo 1) and coat the entire chicken (photo 2). Wrap tightly in plastic wrap (photo 3) and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Preheat the oven with the dutch oven inside. When it's hot, add the butter and let it melt (photo 4). Sear the chicken, breast side down, in the butter for about 5 minutes and then remove.
- Add the vegetables (photo 5) and then set the chicken on top (photo 6). Cover with the lid and bake until done.
Related recipes:
Dutch oven camping recipes are the best! If you love to cook over the fire, you'll want to make a Dutch Oven Dutch Baby (or two) for breakfast.
You can use your dutch oven on the campfire to reheat pre-made breakfast burritos too. Or how about a Dutch Oven Stew? Who could deny a hot crusty loaf of bread?
The possibilities are endless.
How long to roast a chicken in a Dutch oven?
With recipes like this Dutch oven whole roasted chicken and vegetables, I don't like to give an exact time. Depending on the size of your chicken, the starting temperature, as well as fluctuations in the cooking temperature, the time can vary.
A good rule of thumb to follow is 20 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. A trusted digital thermometer is always recommended. Especially when cooking meat.
Doesn't that look amazing? I'm not gonna lie - that cube of butter with all the seasonings from the dry rub combined with a slow cooked chicken is nothing short of amazing.
Full Recipe Instructions
Dutch Oven Roast Chicken
CLICK TO PLAY RECIPE VIDEO
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry seasoning rub (I made my one spoon dry rub and used all of it - see recipe in notes)
- 1 whole chicken (mine was around 6 pounds)
- ½ cup butter (unsalted recommended)
- 1 pound baby yellow potatoes (quartered)
- 4 large carrots (peeled and cut into bite sized chunks)
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and quartered)
Instructions
- Prior to cooking, coat chicken in dry rub and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.
To cook over a campfire:
- To prepare for cooking, heat 24 coals. Place 8 of the hot coals evenly under dutch oven.
- When the cast iron is hot, add the butter and melt. Sear the breast side of the chicken for about 5 minutes in the hot butter.
- Remove the chicken and spread the vegetables in the pot.
- Then return the chicken to the pot, breast side up with the meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast. You may need to redistribute the vegetables to get the chicken to fit. Ideally you want the chicken in the middle of the dutch oven and not touching the lid or the base.
- Cover with the lid and add remaining 16 coals to the lid. Rotate the lid a quarter turn every fifteen minutes or so. After about 45 minutes of cooking, you may need to add a few more hot coals. Just be sure to add twice as many to the top as you do the bottom. Continue cooking until the internal temp reads 165 degrees F and the drumsticks start to pull away from the body. This may take 1-1.5 hours.
To cook in your oven:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with the dutch oven inside the oven. You want it to get hot.
- When the cast iron is hot, add the butter and melt. Add the chicken to the dutch oven, breast side down, and cook in oven for about 5 minutes in the hot butter.
- Remove the chicken and spread the vegetables in the pot. Then return the chicken to the pot, breast side up with the meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast. You may need to redistribute the vegetables to get the chicken to fit. Ideally you want the chicken in the middle of the dutch oven and not touching the lid or the base. Cover with lid and return to oven.
- Continue cooking until the internal temp reads 165 degrees F and the drumsticks start to pull away from the body. This may take 1-1.5 hours. If your chicken starts out at room temperature, you can plan for it to take about 20 minutes per pound.
To serve:
- I personally enjoyed carving up the chicken and returning the meat to the dutch oven with all the liquid and vegetables prior to serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Your favorite chicken dry rub will work, but I highly recommend you make my One Spoon Dry Rub recipe.
- If you plan on making this meal while you camp, you can coat the chicken in the dry rub, refrigerate it for 1-2 days before you leave the house, and then transport the chicken in a sealed container so that it's ready to cook.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
This post was originally created in July 2016 and has been updated with more information, cooking tips, and photos. Don't worry - I didn't change the recipe!
Jeannette
I just got a cast iron Dutch oven. I can't wait to try this. One question. I love stuffing and always stuff my chickens with a bread stuffing. Can I use this recipe with a stuffed chicken?
Krissy
Not entirely sure how that would work because there's so much liquid.
Lori
What size dutch oven did you use for this 6lb chicken?
Krissy
I believe it was the 6.7 quart Staub.
Dana
Best whole chicken I’ve ever made! So juicy and tender. The butter and spices make the yummiest “sauce” to pour over the chicken and veggies. I love the spice rub. I’ll make again with even more root veggies like beets, parsnips and sweet potatoes for the fall!
Brenda
Can you cook it uncoverd for crispy skin???
Krissy
I believe it needs the cover to steam and rise, but you can definitely try it! I find that it gets a bit crispy as I cooked it.
Denise
Had a Dutch oven forever and never used it 🙁
Decided during Covid will learn to cook in it! Oh WOW, all this time we’ve been missing out on so much flavour! This is amazingly tasty and amazingly easy! Thank you sooo much!
Tammy
My first time using my Dutch oven that I got for Christmas, best recipe it was so delicious and beautiful in the pot.
Corynn Moody
I am camping in New Mexico with my husband and decided to cook his favorite foods over the campfire. He loves chicken when it is cooked whole and at home I usually do it in my instant pot. My husband cannot eat vegetables so I followed this recipe just for the chicken... and he just began to cry. He says it is the best chicken he has ever had! And I must say, I love this chicken more than Costco’s roasted chicken and I thought they were the best... thank you so much!!
Edward James Friar
Krissy, I cooked this in a14 quart Lodge Dutch Oven with two chickens and your dry rub!What a meal !Vegetables were unbelievable and the chicken was so flavorful!The coals add that extra kick of outdoor excellence!What a home run!
Diana
pertaining to the statement below I need you to clarify what is meant by "prior to soaking".
To serve:
I personally enjoyed carving up the chicken and returning the meat to the dutch oven with all the liquid and vegetables prior to soaking. Enjoy!
Krissy
Doh! I meant to say "serving" not "soaking". Will update now. Thank you!
Marie
Best roast chicken ever!!!
Lil
Will reducing the amount of butter work?
Krissy
You can reduce it. I love me some butter so I use a lot in this recipe, but you can certainly go lower or even substitute with olive oil.
Tom Lewis, Jr.
I made this at home in oven it was a big hit. Everyone really liked it.
Gary
I did it with some thigs, Seared them. Cooked them in a cast iron dutch oven on my grill. used Uncle Chris seasoning. Came out great.
Steve
Tried your recipe with a small chicken and you dry rub in the oven. Meat and veggies were great!!!!! Because it was a small bird I only used half the dry rub. The chicken was fully covered after half so I stopped because it was falling off. I only wish the skin came out crispy. I will definitely made this again. Really enjoyed it. Thank you very much for the recipe!!!!
Jack
Just tried this recipe last night with 5 hungry men. This has to be the best dry rub for Dutch oven cooking. I’ve only cooked rosemary chicken in the Dutch oven before this and everyone loved it, but this recipe has my old recipe beat hands down, I’ve never seen a chicken carcass devoured so much that there was literally no meat left on it, none! and all the veggies were gone, the only problem now is my friends want me to do it every week.
Thanks for the recipe, keep up the good work, this recipe was a big hit and very flavorful, I’ll be cooking this one again real soon.
Thanks, Jack
Elizabeth T Sifuentes
I'm wondering about the sugar, never added brown sugar to chicken. Is the sugar overwhelming?
Krissy
Not at all! I use that One Spoon Dry Rub recipe all the time and the sugar just balances out the heat. So good!
Dejong
Only butter no other liquids like chicken broth or anything
Krissy
The onions produce a lot of liquid.
Karen M. Chapman
This is a great way to keep your chicken moist when cooking in the oven!
David Racer
Wow, looks terrific!
If I were to try this in my home oven, what temp would you suggest ~ 350?
Thanks!
Krissy
Yes! 350 degrees F. I've been meaning to update that recipe for kitchen cooking too. Thanks for the reminder!
TC Long
We made this tonight and it was soooo good! I've never done a whole chicken in the Dutch oven before so I appreciated the guidance. And it was also my first time to use a dry rub. I will never buy a dry rub from now on, this was amazing and amazingly simple.
Thank you!
Krissy
Thank you! Yes - I always refer to my own recipe for dry rub. Not to brag, but I think I nailed that one! -Krissy
T.C. Long
I'm going to be doing this recipe tomorrow night and already prepped the chicken with your dry rub. Can't wait! I was wondering if you had any thoughts on other veggies for the bottom? I'm on a low oxalate diet so potatoes and carrots are out for me. We were thinking about radishes and something else.
Krissy
Oh boy, I don't know what low oxalate means but I think any root veggies do well in this type of recipe. Enjoy! Krissy