Cast-Iron Skillet Whole Roasted Chicken With Potatoes

by Heidi Updated: Dec 3, 2023

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Nothing says simple comfort food like a whole-roasted chicken, and when tossed into an already-hot, cast iron skillet with sliced potatoes and onions, you have an incredibly easy one-pot-meal that’s ready in just one hour for dinner any night of the week.

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If you’ve ever watched an episode of Barefoot Contessa, you know that Ina’s husband Jeffrey’s favorite meal is a whole roasted chicken. Every Friday night. She even wrote a cookbook about it. So while it may have become a bit of a schtick, I’d have to say those two are onto something.

I like to make a roast chicken on Sunday as part of my meal prep to have on hand for lunches and throw together dinners through the rest of the week.

And every time I roast that whole chicken I wonder why I don’t hear more about others preparing the whole humble bird. Because we all know, people love their chicken. Chicken breasts? Absolutely! Drumsticks? They’re the most transportable bite. Wings are always a party favorite, and even chicken thighs are having their day.

So when I picked up the latest issue of Bon Appétit’s Sunday Suppers issue and discovered a new variation on whole-bird roasting, I was in. And now, you are too.

How to Oven Roast a Whole Chicken

There are a couple of new techniques I found in the roast chicken primer from Bon Appétit that I was excited to try since they’ve eliminated all the “trickery” and “secrets”. There’s no flipping or rotating. There’s no marinating, brining or basting. Instead it’s just a chicken, a pan, and a searing hot skillet in the oven.

Okay everyone, let’s roast some birds.

Salt the whole chicken and then let it rest. Salting the inside and the outside of the uncooked 4 to 4 ½ pound chicken flavors and tenderizes it, and I believe it also contributes to a deliciously crispy skin. Think of those delicious rotisserie chickens you get from the store…their secret it salt. Use kosher salt rather than iodized and be sure to pat the skin dry with paper towels before. Allow the salted chicken to rest for at least an hour or 24 is even better. When ready to roast, drizzle with olive oil and then add a bit more salt and freshly cracked black pepper and that’s really all the flavor you need.

Bake the chicken in a sizzling hot cast-iron skillet. I’ve almost always baked my roasted chickens in a roasting pan or dish. But where this chicken gets a literal leg-up is by placing a 12-inch cast iron skillet in a 425° oven as it preheats. Then, drizzle a bit of olive oil in the pan so the chicken doesn’t stick, and quickly place the bird in the hot pan.

Warning! Be sure your bird is nice and dry so the water and oil don’t splatter and spit, even though it still may so step back from the pan as you place the chicken in it.

Add veg for a full meal deal. This idea isn’t a unique technique since it is a signature of many whole roasted chickens. Still, the idea to surround the bird with thinly sliced potatoes that sear and cook in the chicken’s rendered fat at the same time as the bird creates the.most.amazing.bites.

I’ve made this chicken with extra thin russet potato slices sliced with my mandoline to create crispy potato chips, and then again where I’ve added sweet potatoes and sliced onions to the russets. Both are spot on. Squash, carrots, chopped celery chunks, leeks, green beans, or cabbage would also be mighty fine.

How Long Does It Take to Roast a Whole Chicken?

The beauty of this baked whole chicken recipe is that once it’s in the oven, it’s a hands off affair. Roasting a 4-5 pound whole chicken at 425° in the oven typically takes just about an hour. Use a meat thermometer to gauge the temperature and pull the bird out once the thickest part of the thigh but doesn’t hit the bone hits 155° to 160°F and the juices run clear. Loosely tent the chicken with foil and rest for about 15 minutes so the juices seal into the chicken meat. The internal temperature of the chicken will continue to cook as it rests.

Transfer the bird and veg to a serving platter or serve it straight from the skillet so you can dip into all the delicious drippings.

What to Serve With Roast Chicken to Make a Meal

This dinner can easily become a one and done dinner, but if you’re looking to augment it into something more, here are a few additions for the menu.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

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