Cast-iron Roast Chicken with finger-licking pan juices

This beautiful cast-iron roast chicken is filled with creamy Brie and deliciously flavored with Rosemary, garlic, onions, Italian seasoning, and the sweet-tart juices of fresh oven-roasted grapes.

It all goes into one oven-safe skillet—simple, easy, yet big in flavors.

The recipe card has step-by-step instructions with pictures.

But I encourage you to read through all my helpful tips first for making this cast-iron roast chicken the best way.

Jump to:

• Reasons to make this unique cast-iron roast chicken
• What makes this a delicious chicken recipe
• Helpful tips for making a good roast chicken
• What to do with chicken giblets
• The best herbs to season this chicken
• What to put inside the chicken cavity
• Chicken and Brie & how to add it
• Chicken and grapes for incredible pan juices
• How long to roast a whole chicken
• How to check for doneness
• Serving suggestions
• How to reheat leftovers
• Make it a festive dinner for the Holidays—Menu suggestion
• More delicious recipes you might like
• 📖 Recipe

Reasons to make this unique cast-iron roast chicken

• There is nothing easier than roasting a chicken in the oven for dinner.
• The pan juices in this cast iron roast chicken recipe are INCREDIBLE.
• It's a classic tried-and-true whole roast chicken.
• You can even make it for special occasions.
• Because chicken for gatherings around the Thanksgiving table or for Christmas makes sense when you make it extra special—move over, Turkey.
• Best yet, everything is prepped in 10 minutes, and then you let the oven do its magic.

What makes this a delicious chicken recipe

• Fresh herbs like Rosemary, roasted garlic cloves, onions, and extra-virgin olive oil combined with Italian seasoning give this beautifully-browned roasted whole chicken lovely comforting flavors.
• Creamy Brie filling and sweet grapes tossed alongside the chicken create delicious pan juices.
• Those grapes caramelize when roasted, adding lightly sweet undertones to the savory flavors, while the Brie adds a heavenly buttery consistency.

Let's make it!

Helpful tips for making a good roast chicken

• Let the chicken rest at room temperature for around 10 minutes before prep time. It ensures the meat cooks evenly.

• Then pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Don't skip this step. I even go inside the cavity of the chicken and thoroughly dry it. It will result in beautiful crispier skin and ensure no extra liquid interferes with those flavorful caramelized pan juices.

• Season every surface of the chicken generously with salt—yep, even inside the cavity and in between the wings. Chicken needs a good amount of salt to develop beautiful flavors and a juicy texture.

Pro tip: I like to season the chicken directly in the pan so that any extra sprinkles of salt that don't fall on the chicken will go into the skillet.

• Don't skimp on the fat. It creates a beautiful brown and crispy chicken skin and offers a lot of flavors and juicy pan drippings.

• Leave the bird alone in the oven. No need to baste it. Let the oven do its work and roast long enough for the flavors to develop (more on that later).

• Let the roasted bird rest before carving. Once taken out of the oven, the cast iron pan will be extremely hot, and the chicken will still continue to cook a bit longer. Wait for about 10 minutes for the juicy chicken to settle further and for the flavors to come together before serving.

What to do with chicken giblets

• Some whole chickens come with giblet parts. They are usually stored in a paper bag inside the cavity.

• Remove the giblets from the bag. Discard the bag.

• Here at home, we consider them tasty little treats and are added to the pan alongside the chicken.

• Season them with salt and pepper and add them to the roasting pan. It's delicious!

The best herbs to season this chicken

• Besides salt, I'm relying on simple Italian seasoning that will give tremendous flavor to a roasted chicken and its crispy skin.

• Use a blend of dried oregano, Basil, and Marjoram. If you already have pre-bought Italian seasoning on hand, you can use 1 tablespoon of that instead.

• Fresh Rosemary leaves add an incredible aroma, and the oven-roasted needles can be cracked and served on top of the chicken.

• Don't forget to also season the onions, garlic, and grapes in the pan.

• Generously use freshly ground black pepper to round off the dish.

Note: Italian seasoning is a blend of ground herbs that you can buy ready in the grocery store and adds wonderful Mediterranean flavors. But you can also mix equal parts of all or some dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, Basil, and sage.

What to put inside the chicken cavity

• Always generously sprinkle salt on the inside of the chicken so the seasoning can work its magic past the skin.

• I'm also filling the cavity with garlic cloves, onions, Brie, and grapes for this recipe which will create incredible flavors and delicious chicken juices.

Chicken and Brie & how to add it

• Brie has a mild flavor but is also buttery and slightly fruity, creating a beautiful creamy texture that pairs lovely with well-seasoned chicken.

• I divide it evenly between the wings, inside the cavity, and chicken legs (slightly opened up with a small incision) to create concentrated pockets of creamy goodness.

Chicken and grapes for incredible pan juices

A combination of onions, garlic, and grapes are added to the large cast iron skillet and, together with olive oil, will create incredibly flavored juices that are

• naturally sweet,
• slightly thick,
• and delicious when topped on the carved chicken.

How long to roast a whole chicken

Count about 15 minutes per pound of chicken. So for a 4 pound of chicken, that equals about 1 hour to get crispy-browned skin and juicy, tender meat.

Note: This recipe works best with either 3 ½ pounds or up to 5 pounds of chicken to get the best results with the suggested oven setting and measured ingredients.

How to check for doneness

• If you count about 15 minutes of oven time per pound of chicken, you'll have beautifully crispy-browned chicken skin and tender, juicy meat on the inside—no pinkish colors.

• If still unsure, carefully remove the skillet from the oven and check in between the cut leg joints—you shouldn't see any pink or rosy colors and only clear juices.

Serving suggestions

• Let it rest for a few minutes before carving and serving.
• If you use a cast-iron skillet, this can go directly from oven to table—just be careful because it will be super hot.
• You also want to top any carved meat with those delicious juices, some roasted garlic, onions, grapes, and Rosemary.
• Make sure to divide some of the cheesy and buttery pieces!
• This whole roasted chicken pairs well with mashed or oven-roasted potatoes, a healthy cauliflower mash, or any other vegetables like asparagus, roasted baby bok choy, or this beautiful quick-braised fennel with sweet peaches.

How to reheat leftovers

• My preferred way is to shred the meat into bite-sized pieced and cut through some of the boney parts (if any are left).
• Place everything in a large enough skillet on the stove over medium heat.
• Cook and stir until the pieces are sufficiently warmed up (taste test).
• Add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the bottom of the pan to prevent the chicken from drying alongside any remaining bits of pan gravy.
• Another great way to use leftover chicken is by making a healthy, flavorful chicken salad from the shredded chicken meat and chicken mayo sandwiches or adding them to nourishing soups.

Make it a festive dinner for the Holidays—Menu suggestion

This cast-iron roast chicken recipe is always a hit with my family—it's a favorite for sure, especially for Sunday dinner.

And if you are celebrating the Holidays with a smaller group of people, then this festive chicken dinner can easily replace Turkey without getting any complaints—or think Christmas or New Years' table.

So, here is a lovely entertaining dinner idea—just a suggestion—for when you have company over or want to make something extraordinary without feeling rushed or stressed.

• Make this easy delicious coffee chocolate mousse a day in advance. It takes only 15 minutes, and then let it chill overnight—dessert is done!
• This whole roasted Chicken with Brie and grapes is prepped in 10 minutes.
• So while it's in the oven, you can prepare your table and a healthy vegetable side dish while sipping on your favorite mocktail.
• And if you really want to impress, you can make either my red Kuri squash soup or healthy butternut squash-zucchini soup in advance and simply reheat it as an appetizer.
• Don't forget to check out my simple cranberry-clementine sauce or rhubarb compote that you can make two weeks in advance if you really want to offer it as an extra side—but not necessary.

More delicious recipes you might like

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