Roasted Half Chicken

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This roasted half chicken recipe is so simple but delicious, you can’t go wrong with it. With crispy golden skin coated in a flavorful herb-filled butter, this oven roasted half chicken has the juiciest, most tender meat. It’s easy enough to pull off as a weeknight meal but elegant enough for a special occasion like a holiday meal.

Golden on the outside while tender, and juicy on the inside, this simple half roasted chicken is going to be on repeat at your house! Roasted to perfection, this chicken is full of fresh, herby flavors that everyone will want seconds of!

A platter with a roasted half chicken over potatoes, rosemary, and lemon slices.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s very easy to make, I promise! Even if you’ve never spatchcocked a chicken before, you can pull this off. It’s very straightforward. I’ll walk you through it.
It takes much less time to roast the chicken, cut in half, than it is whole, making it perfect for a weeknight meal.
While this recipe may be simple, this chicken is packed with flavor. It’s generously seasoned and full of herbs. Even the potatoes are so flavorful, I could eat them every single day.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make roasted half chicken.

chicken — I usually make this with a whole 4 to 5 pound chicken. Make sure the neck and giblets are removed. Make sure your pot is large enough to fit your chicken.
butter — while you can buy herb butter, I usually like to make my own packed full of fresh herbs. I use a stick of unsalted butter. Make sure it’s softened to room temperature so it’ll mix well.
seasoning — I use salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
lemon — lemon juice and lemon zest adds a wonderful bright and fresh flavor to the roasted half chicken.
fresh herbs — I love fresh herbs. This recipe uses thyme, rosemary, sage, and basil. Trust me when I say this recipe is not lacking in flavors. You can easily add more or less of the herbs and you can use a different combination of herbs if you prefer.
oil — I use olive oil.
baby potatoes — I add some baby potatoes to the bottom of the pot, so not only does it keep the chicken elevated from the juices, it makes the meal more filling with little to no extra work!

How to Make Roasted Half Chicken

Set of two photos showing butter mixed with seasoning and fresh herbs.

Heat the oven to 400F.
In a bowl, combine the butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chopped herbs, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Set aside.

Set of two photos showing the backbone of a raw chicken cut out then the chicken cut in half.

Pat the whole chicken dry with paper towels and let rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Room temperature chicken will cook more evenly than if you cook the chicken straight from the fridge.
Place the chicken on a large cutting board. Using kitchen shears, cut alongside the backbone and remove it and any small bones sticking out.
Turn the chicken breast side up on the cutting board and place your palms over the center of the breastbone to press firmly down between the two breasts, flattening out the chicken. You should hear a crack. Using a pair of kitchen shears or a knife, cut through the cartilage and soft bone down the middle of the breast so you create two halves.

Set of two photos showing the butter mixture added under the chicken skin and the rest spread on top of the chicken.

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and black pepper. Using fingers, gently pull the skin away from the meat throughout the chicken. Spread half of the mixture under the skin of the chicken and the remaining half on top of the chicken.

Set of two photos showing seasoned potatoes added to a dutch oven and lemon slices placed on top.

Toss the potatoes with oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and rosemary. Add them to the bottom of a Dutch oven.
Add lemon slices over the potatoes. If you have extra herbs, this is the perfect place to add them. I usually add any leftover sprigs of thyme and rosemary.

Set of two photos showing the chicken added on top of the lemon slices in the pot and roasted.

Add the two halves of the chicken to the pot, drizzle olive oil over the tops, and season with more salt and pepper if desired.
Place the lid on the Dutch oven and roast for 50 minutes. Then, remove the lid and continue to roast for another 10 minutes or until the breast and thighs have reached 165 degrees F. You can broil the chicken for a couple of minutes to crisp up the skin some more if desired.
Allow the chicken to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

A dutch oven with a roasted half chicken over potatoes and lemon slices.

Recipe Tips and Notes

Making this for yourself? You can easily cut the recipe in half! Freeze the other half of the chicken for a later day.
If you prefer not to have the herb butter on top of the chicken (it can get a bit dark!), you can add all the butter underneath the skin and just coat the exterior of the chicken skin with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
The baby potatoes won’t be crispy but will be very tender and flavorful as they’ll cook in the chicken’s juices.
Not a fan of lemon? You can replace the orange zest, slices, and juice with orange!
The roasting time of the roasted half chicken recipe depends of the size of the chicken. To tell if your chicken is done, use an instant-read thermometer and check that the thickest part of the chicken registers at 165°F/75°C.

My Recommendation

This is my go-to meat thermometer for making sure that the internal temperature of my meat is good to go. It’s also magnetic so I have it on my fridge door to save drawer space!

Get it Now!

I recommend using a good pair of sharp kitchen shears to cut the backbone out of the chicken. A good pair will make your life so much easier! When you’re cutting the backbone out, be sure to cut as close as possible to the bone on both sides so that you don’t lose any meat in the process.
Always pat dry your chicken before you start working with it. It makes sure the skin of this roasted halved chicken gets perfectly crispy.
Save the bones to make bone broth! You can roast the backbone off on the side and freeze that alongside your bones for later use!
Want even MORE flavor? Make some oven roasted garlic (or air fryer roasted garlic) and mix it into the butter to make roasted garlic butter. SO good!

Make Ahead Tips

Meal prep: once cooled, store roasted half chicken and potatoes in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Freezer: allow the chicken to cool before shredding the chicken and transferring into an airtight container before storing them in the freezer. Shredded chicken can last for up to 3 months. I like shredding it as it’s easy to thaw and use it in other recipes such as salads, pasta, and soups.

Can I make a gravy with the drippings?

Yes! Strain the liquid left in the Dutch oven through a fine-mesh strainer. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of butter until melted. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour until smooth, around 30 seconds.

Slowly whisk in the strained liquid while whisking constantly.

Cook while whisking until it has thickened to your liking, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve gravy with the chicken.

What pot are you using?

I use a Staub round Dutch oven for this roasted half chicken recipe. It’s important to use an oven-safe pot and lid.