25 Delicious Roast Chicken Recipes for Any Occasion

By Kelly Vaughan
Updated January 27, 2021

Whether you like yours paired with aromatic herbs, piquant spices, or savory vegetables, we've got a recipe for succulent, flavorful roast chicken that you'll love right here.

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Roast chicken brings the best of both worlds to the table: It's a classic comfort food, but it's also elevated enough to serve for a special occasion, too. What's more, roast chicken is delicious fresh or served as leftovers, and you can prepare it simply with vegetables and herbs or boldly-seasoned with harissa, paprika, and other warm spices. With all its versatility, we can't celebrate roast chicken with just one recipe—we have so many succulent and flavorful ones to share, starting with the Roast Chicken with Broiled-Vegetable-and-Bread Salad that's seen here.

If you're looking for a classic roast chicken recipe, look no further than our Roast Chicken with Vegetables and Potatoes. Whole chicken roasts alongside carrots, shallots, and fingerling potatoes, plus lemon and fresh parsley leaves for added aromatic flavors. You'll wow everyone at your dinner table—even a hungry group of little ones—with this recipe.

Of course, roast chicken doesn't always mean roasting a whole chicken for a couple of hours. You can make a spectacular version of roast chicken using chicken breasts or thighs if you want to get dinner on the table in under one hour. From topping a grain bowl and salad with the meat to spatchcocking the chicken and roasting it in a cast-iron skillet, there's a reason why we never get tired of this staple protein: There are just so many delicious ways to prepare it.

So, whether you choose to keep things light by serving it with a kale salad or alongside hearty, seasonal vegetables such as cauliflower, sweet potatoes, or tomatoes, get to know some of our most delicious roast chicken recipes.

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Roast Chicken with Vegetables and Potatoes

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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Consider this your go-to roast chicken recipe—prep work is minimal, but the payoff is big, thanks to flavor from an entire lemon, fresh parsley leaves, and shallots, which roast with the meat.

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Roasted Chicken Breasts with Grape Stuffing

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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If you're worried about chicken breasts drying out too quickly, take a page out of our book—we use bone-in, skin-on meat, which helps to keep the meat tender on the inside and crispy, golden brown on the outside.

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Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Potatoes

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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Peruvian-style green sauce—made with mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, jalapeño peppers, and fresh cilantro leaves—takes a basic roast chicken and potato recipe to the next level.

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Roasted Chicken with Cauliflower "Tabbouleh"

Credit: Lennart Weibull
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We've lightened up traditional tabbouleh by swapping out the bulgur for riced cauliflower (which you can make yourself using a box grater) in this colorful roast chicken recipe that comes together in under one hour.

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Roast Chicken with Lemony Harissa Glaze

Credit: Johnny Miller
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Master the art of spatchcocked chicken with this one-skillet dinner. It gets bold flavor from a spice rub made with harissa, garlic, lemon zest, ginger, and cilantro, plus a pop of brightness, thanks to Meyer lemon marmalade.

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Roasted Chicken with Kale and Tomato Panzanella

Credit: Justin Walker
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Sheet pan dinners are winners for a reason. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks roast alongside cubed rustic bread, Lacinato kale, and cherry tomatoes in this low-key, flavorful meal.

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Roast Chicken with Meyer Lemons and Potatoes

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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Meyer lemons are a touch sweeter and more vibrant (both in acidity and color) than the usual Eureka lemons we tend to grab, which makes this roast chicken recipe extra special.

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Pan-Roasted Chicken with Za'atar, Potatoes, and Greens

Credit: Linda Pugliese
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All you need is a sheet pan, a handful of vegetables (think fingerling potatoes, red onion, and Lacinato kale), and bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs to make this family-friendly weeknight dinner.

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Roast-Chicken Grain Bowl

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Skip the salad bar and make your own hearty grain bowl at home. Cooked bulgur is topped with grated carrots, grated red beets, a dollop of Greek yogurt, and roasted lemon chicken for a healthy lunch or dinner.

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Roasted-Chicken Bread Salad with Peas

Credit: Johnny Miller
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Nothing says springtime like fresh shelled green peas and sugar snap peas. They bring so much color and crisp flavor to the table—and to this whole roasted chicken recipe that's perfect for a satisfying lunch.

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Roasted Chicken with Dates, Citrus, and Olives

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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One hour, one pan, and large enough to feed up to six people: What's not to love about this vibrant roast chicken recipe?

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Roast Chicken with Paprika and Roasted Garlic

Credit: Christina Holmes
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Turn up the heat on whole roasted chicken by rubbing the meat with paprika, oregano, olive oil, and salt, then cooking it alongside carrots and sweet potatoes.

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Whole Roasted Mustard Chicken

Credit: Sharon Radisch
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Lemon and Dijon mustard are a classic pairing, and they work so well in this basic but brilliant roast chicken meal.

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Simple Roast Chicken

Credit: Lennart Weibull
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Though understated, this three-ingredient roast chicken recipe is perfect for year-round dinners.

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Roast Chicken with Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes

Credit: Jonathan Lovekin
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This roast chicken recipe has it all—saltiness from capers, earthiness from fresh rosemary, and savory, fatty flavor from pancetta.

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Roasted Quartered Chicken with Herb Sauce

Credit: Ryan Liebe
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Whip up a quick herb vinaigrette using red wine vinegar, fresh parsley leaves, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes to serve with a classic roast chicken recipe.

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Roast Chicken with Fava Beans

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Fava beans are a healthy legume that serves as the eye-popping green base for whole roasted chicken in this one-skillet dish.

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Roasted Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta

Credit: RYANE LIEBE
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Take a trip to the Mediterranean from the comfort of your home. All it takes is a few staple ingredients—grape tomatoes, pitted Spanish olives, fresh mint, feta cheese—to elevate the flavor in this roast chicken recipe.

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Roast Spatchcocked Lemon Chicken

Credit: Chris Court
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By spatchcocking a whole chicken, you cut the cook time practically in half. And when you roast the meat with shallots and lemons, you make the meat even more succulent and delicious.

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Herb-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

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Stuffing a chicken with fresh parsley and thyme and adding white wine to the pan infuses the whole bird with flavor, as well as the carrots, potatoes, and leeks cooked next to it. Roasting at a high temperature seals in the chicken's juices and makes the skin crispy.

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Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

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This classic recipe from the French countryside is simple but packed with flavor. The result is a chicken with mild, buttery roasted garlic—yes, actually 40 cloves—infused with a hint of thyme.

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Crisp-Skinned Chicken with Rosemary Potatoes

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This recipe makes the most of the classic combinations of chicken, rosemary, and potatoes. Rubbing the chicken with butter and a little cornstarch is the secret to perfectly crunchy-crisp skin.

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Brown-Bag Chicken

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Roasting a chicken in a paper bag keeps it moist and tender by steaming as well as roasting it. Rosemary, onion, and hot paprika add a good dose of flavor. Make sure there is plenty of room between the bag and the top of the oven to avoid burning.

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Spatchcocked Chicken with Chickpeas

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For a quick-cooking whole chicken, remove the backbone and flatten it before roasting. Chickpeas roasted alongside the chicken soak up the chicken's juices and get crunchy. Cilantro and a splash of lime juice add bright notes.

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By Kelly Vaughan