How Do You Season a Whole Chicken?

Season a whole chicken with salt, garlic, black pepper and an herb or two, and use about 2 to 3 tablespoons of seasoning for a 4 to 5 pound bird. Pat the chicken dry, then season it everywhere: under the breast skin, over the outside and inside the cavity. Let it sit at least an hour, or overnight in the refrigerator, and roast it until the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.

That is the short version. The rest of this page covers which flavors suit a roast chicken, where the seasoning should go, how long it should sit, and how to get the skin crisp.

What seasonings go best on a whole chicken?

Chicken is mild, so it takes on whatever you give it. That is good news, because it means a short list does the job:

• Salt. The one that matters most. It seasons the meat and helps the skin crisp.
• Garlic and onion. The savory base, and the reason the kitchen smells like Sunday.
• Black pepper. For a little bite.
• Thyme, rosemary, oregano or basil. Pick one or two. Herbs are what make a roast chicken taste like a roast chicken.
• Paprika. Mostly for color. It turns the skin a deep golden brown.
• Lemon. Half a lemon in the cavity, and a squeeze over the top when it comes out.

You do not need all of them. Salt, garlic, pepper and one herb will make a very good chicken.

How much seasoning do you put on a whole chicken?

Plan on 2 to 3 tablespoons for a 4 to 5 pound chicken. That is less per pound than you would use on a boneless cut, because a good share of a whole bird's weight is bone. We have a longer guide on how much seasoning to use per pound of meat.

If your blend lists salt first, do not salt the chicken separately. And remember the pan drippings will carry that seasoning too, so taste the gravy before you add anything to it.

Where does the seasoning go?

Three places, and most people only hit one of them.

1. Under the skin. Slide your fingers between the skin and the breast meat to loosen it, then rub seasoning straight onto the meat. Skin is a raincoat. Seasoning that only sits on top of it never reaches the breast.
2. On the outside. Rub the skin with a little olive oil or soft butter, then season all over, including the back and the legs.
3. Inside the cavity. A good pinch in there, plus half a lemon, half an onion or a few garlic cloves if you have them.

Before any of that, pat the bird dry with paper towels, inside and out. A wet chicken steams. A dry chicken browns.

How long should seasoning sit on a whole chicken?

An hour is good. Overnight is better.

Salt needs time to work its way into the meat. Cooks call this a dry brine, which is a fancy name for "season it early and leave it alone."

• Same day: season the chicken and leave it in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
• Planning ahead: season it the night before and leave it uncovered on a rack or plate in the refrigerator. The skin dries out a little, and dry skin is what turns crisp in the oven.

It is the same idea we walk through for the big bird in how to season a turkey. A chicken is just a smaller, more forgiving practice run.

How do you get crispy skin on a roast chicken?

Four small things add up:

• Dry the skin well before seasoning.
• Season ahead and leave the bird uncovered in the refrigerator.
• Roast it hot. Many cooks use 425°F, and a 4 to 5 pound chicken usually takes somewhere around an hour and a quarter.
• Do not cover it, and do not keep opening the oven door.

If the skin is getting dark before the meat is done, lay a piece of foil loosely over the breast.

What temperature should a whole chicken be cooked to?

FoodSafety.gov, the federal food safety site, lists 165°F for all poultry, whole birds included. Check the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. Go by the thermometer and not by the clock, since ovens and chickens both vary.

Then let the chicken rest 10 to 15 minutes before you carve it. The juices settle, and you get time to make the gravy.

Which Flavor Seed blends work on a whole chicken?

Anything With Wings is our organic poultry seasoning, and it is the one we reach for here. The whole label, in order: sea salt, organic garlic, organic coriander, organic onion, organic black pepper, organic cumin, organic basil, organic cayenne, organic oregano and organic ginger. That covers the salt, garlic, pepper and herbs from the top of this page, already measured.

Two more worth knowing about. The OG is sea salt, organic garlic and organic black pepper, for the nights you want a plain, classic roast chicken and plan to add your own fresh herbs. And It's Greek To Me, our Greek seasoning, brings dill weed, marjoram, oregano, thyme and rosemary along with the garlic and onion. Put a lemon in the cavity and potatoes in the pan and dinner is handled.

All three are USDA Certified Organic, gluten-free and kosher, with no MSG, no fillers and no anti-caking agents. Sea salt is first on each label, so taste before you add more.

Quick answers

Do you season a chicken under the skin or on top?

Both. Seasoning under the skin flavors the breast meat. Seasoning on top flavors the skin and helps it brown. Add a pinch inside the cavity too.

Should you season a whole chicken the night before?

Yes, if you have the time. Season it and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. The salt works into the meat and the skin dries, which helps it crisp. If you forgot, an hour still helps.

Do you put butter or oil on a chicken before seasoning?

A thin coat of either helps the seasoning stick and the skin brown. Olive oil is the easy choice. Soft butter under the skin adds flavor to the breast meat.

So: dry the bird, season it in all three places, give it time, and trust the thermometer. And if roast chicken is about to become the Sunday routine at your house, free shipping kicks in at $25.