Cooking a whole chicken doesn't have to be difficult — it makes an ideal, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner. Leave the chicken whole or break it down; grill it up, oven-roast it to perfection, or cook it on the stovetop. You can even fry it up extra crispy and enjoy it hours later at a picnic. Whether you crave something classic and reserved, such as Julia Child's gorgeous roast chicken, or an intensely flavored bird, such as spicy grilled jerk chicken, we have just the recipe for the occasion in this collection of recipes for utilizing a whole chicken.
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Kewpie-Marinated Chicken
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A simple combination of lime, cumin, hot paprika, and Kewpie mayo is the secret to a pretty fine-tasting grilled chicken from F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple.
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Roast Chicken with Sausage and Peppers
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All of the classic flavors of an Italian sausage sub are combined in this fun and delicious roast chicken dish.
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Roast Chicken with Salsa Verde and Roasted Lemons
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This crisp and juicy roast chicken from star chef Jonathan Waxman of NYC's Jams is perfect with his chunky seven-herb salsa verde.
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Butter-Roasted Chicken with Soy-Garlic Glaze
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For this recipe, we make a spiced butter with ground cloves and star anise, then rub it under the chicken skin before roasting to create an incredibly juicy and delicious bird.
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Whole Roast Chicken with 40 Brussels Sprouts
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When former F&W editor Kay Chun roasts chicken, she adds brussels sprouts to the roasting pan so they absorb the fantastic flavor of the caraway-infused chicken juices.
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Chicken with Port and Figs
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Dried figs are poached in port to make a luscious Portuguese-inspired sauce. Ruby port provides the best color, but tawny will also taste good.
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Pan-Roasted Chicken with Corn Relish
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This one-skillet recipe is based on a dish chef Cathal Armstrong's father, Gerry, made when Armstrong was growing up in Dublin, with a big difference. "We only got fresh corn for our birthdays. Otherwise it was frozen," Cathal shared.
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Chicken alla Diavola
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Chef Salvatore Denaro's pollo alla diavola ("devil's-style chicken") is intensely seasoned. Two days prior to cooking, Denaro infuses white wine vinegar with a big bunch of dried Sicilian oregano for a marinade. Then he seasons the marinated chicken with an herb mixture, or condimento, that includes Turkish bay laurel and myrtle leaves. Feel free to experiment with a variety of herbs for the condimento.
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Julia's Favorite Roast Chicken
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Julia Child seasoned this roast chicken inside and out by packing sautéed vegetables, lemon slices, and fresh herbs into the cavity, then rubbing the skin with butter. In typical French fashion, she trussed the bird to promote even cooking.
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Spice-Rubbed Roast Chicken with Two Sauces
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At his chicken-focused restaurant in Atlanta, Bantam + Biddy, chef Shaun Doty uses an Old Hickory rotisserie to cook his birds, which are coated with a lemony fennel seed rub. The choice of sauces to serve alongside includes smoky piri piri and Dominican wasakaka made with onion, chiles, and herbs.
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Whole Grilled Chicken with Wilted Arugula
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Cooking a whole chicken on the grill can be tricky, but chef Thomas Keller has perfected a method that uses indirect heat: He adds rosemary sprigs to the coals to infuse the smoke and flavor the chicken.
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Chicken in a Pot with Lemon Orzo
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"This is a very forgiving dish," says television cook Nigella Lawson. "It doesn't rely on precision timing: The chicken, leeks, and carrots are meant to be soft, and I even like it when the orzo is cooked far beyond the timing specified on the package. It's also open to variation, owing to what's in your kitchen."
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Jamaican Jerk Chicken
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There are as many takes on jerk chicken in Jamaica as there are cooks on the island, but most share the same method: Chicken is coated in a seasoning mixture dominated by spices and chiles, then grilled. The key to this wonderfully spicy, smoky, and fragrant jerk chicken is including five-spice powder in the marinade.
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Gaeng Rawaeng
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In this recipe, a small chicken gently cooks in a velvety curry sauce of coconut milk spiced with chiles and galangal, a piney, citrus-flavored cousin of ginger.Use a mix of green chile varieties to suit your preference for piquancy.
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Grill-Roasted Chicken with Crushed Fingerling Potatoes and Shallot Vinaigrette
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Crushed juniper berries combine with garlic and herbs to perfume this smoky chicken that makes for a stunning centerpiece for a leisurely lunch with good company. Smothering the chicken and crushed potatoes with a classic shallot vinaigrette means every plate will be wiped clean.
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Nigerian Clay Pot Chicken
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In this recipe, chicken is trussed, rubbed with an alligator pepper and makrut lime compound butter, then nestled on a layer of seasonal vegetables. Lemongrass, whole lime slices, and ginger add a punchy fragrance and a tangible sweetness to the pot. In the oven, the delicious herb-spiced chicken drippings coat the vegetables and citrus slices, which all gently caramelize as the chicken cooks.
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Zui Ji (Drunken Chicken)
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This classic Shanghainese banquet dish is traditionally served at the new year to represent togetherness and rebirth. To "intoxicate" the chicken, it's marinated in rice wine for up to five days, so this is a great dish to make ahead.
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Summer Chicken and Pepper Stew
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This light stew showcases sweet peppers and bright herbs. The classic cooking method builds flavor while gently cooking the chicken for a light and satisfying summer supper. Serve with polenta and crusty bread for soaking up the garlicky sauce.
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Best-Ever Cold Fried Chicken
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This extra-crispy chicken retains its crunch in the fridge, so it’s ideal for picnics or just eating right out of the icebox. It's especially great served with hot sauce and assorted pickles.
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Poblano Pimiento Cheese–Roasted Chicken
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Ashley Christensen, the chef at Poole's in North Carolina, kicks up her pimento cheese with spicy poblanos and green hot sauce. In this brilliant riff, the creamy dip is spread under the skin of a whole bird before it's roasted to get both crispy skin and juicy meat.
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Roast Chicken with Cilantro-Mint Chutney
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Roast chicken, whole or separated into pieces, benefits brilliantly from chutney-based marinades. You make the chutney and reserve half as your dipping sauce, while the other half gets folded into creamy, tangy yogurt to make a flavorful marinade for the chicken.
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Tamarind Chicken
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The beauty of this grilled tamarind chicken is both its sharp and piquant flavor and its simplicity. A potent tamarind and chipotle marinade renders a richly flavored, juicy, and tender chicken in mere minutes, making it equally suited for a weeknight meal or a dinner party.
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Roast Chicken and Warm Escarole Caesar
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This roast chicken from the menu at Dusek's in Chicago is a sleeper hit, combining comforting roast chicken and the briny flavors of Caesar salad for a cozy meal. Marinating the chicken for at least 24 hours in a koji marinade makes it nice and juicy while infusing it with tons of flavor.
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