Juicy Cast-Iron Roast Chicken

This is the juiciest and most flavorful cast-iron roast chicken with finger-licking pan juices and deliciously flavored with Italian seasoning and creamy Brie cheese.

It all goes into one oven-safe skillet with just 10 minutes of hands-on time—simple, easy, yet big in flavors. It's a foolproof recipe that works every single time!

This cast-iron roast chicken is one of those comfort dishes that can work for weeknight dinners, yet it’s special enough for company or a Holiday dinner! 

This is one of my family’s favorite meals. It's a unique chicken recipe, just like my Chicken Drumstick Lollipops. I’ll also show you how to make it with potatoes.

But for a lighter side, consider the Nourishing Mango Avocado Salad or, depending on the season, the Sweet Kale Apple Salad with Creamy Avocado Pesto.  

Remember also to check out my collection of 30+ Holiday Chicken Recipes!

Why You'll Love This Cast-Iron Chicken Recipe

• There is nothing easier than roasting a chicken in the oven for dinner.
• The pan juices in this olive oil roast chicken recipe are incredible.
• It's a classic tried-and-true whole chicken in a cast iron skillet.
• It results in tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken meat every single time.
• You can even make it for special occasions or holiday gatherings.
• Best yet, everything is prepped in 10 minutes, and then you let the oven do its magic.

Ingredients & Notes

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

• One whole chicken: This recipe works best with either 3 ½ or up to 5 pounds of chicken to get the best results with the suggested oven setting and measured ingredients.
• Brie Cheese: This buttery and slightly fruity cheese creates a beautiful creamy texture and pairs lovely with well-seasoned chicken.
• Fresh black grapes: When roasted, they deliciously caramelize, adding lightly sweet undertones to the savory flavors.
• Onion: Use a large yellow onion or shallots.
• Garlic: This vegetable will tenderize and become part of the pan juices.
• Olive oil: 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.
• Herbs: Use either pre-bought Italian seasoning or a blend of dried oregano, Basil, and Marjoram.
• Fresh Rosemary (optional): This herb adds an incredible aroma, and the oven-roasted needles can be cracked and served on top of the chicken.
• Other seasonings: Sea salt and black pepper.

How To Roast a Whole Chicken In a Cast Iron Skillet

Let's go step-by-step over how to prepare a juicy cast-iron roast chicken and create incredible finger-licking pan juices.

See the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card.

Step One (Picture 1 above) - Transfer the pat-dry chicken breast side up to a prepared cast iron skillet. Then, season every surface of the chicken generously with salt.

Step Two (Picture 2 above) - Rub some of the salt inside the chicken.

Step Three (Picture 3 above) - Arrange garlic and onions around the chicken and add some inside the cavity as well.

Step Four (Picture 4 above) - Cut partly through the skin that connects the legs to the breast with a small knife.

Step Five (Picture 5 above) - Season the meat between the chicken legs with some salt. You will use these openings for the Brie filling.

Step Six (Picture 6 above) - Divide the Brie between the chicken legs, wings, and inside the cavity. Divide the grapes around the chicken and some inside the chicken.

Step Seven (Picture 7 above) - Season chicken evenly with Italian seasoning and everything generously with black pepper.

Step Eight (Picture 8 above) - Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil evenly over the ingredients.

Step Nine (Picture 9 above) - Arrange the fresh Rosemary sprigs in the pan around the chicken. Now it's ready to go into the preheated oven.

Helpful Tips

Here are some of my tips for making a juicy roast chicken with crispy skin.

• Always pat dry the chicken with paper towels. Don't skip this step. I even go inside 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. Chicken needs a good amount of it to develop beautiful flavors and a juicy texture.
• Leave the bird alone in the oven—no need to baste it. Let the oven do its work for the flavors to develop.
• Let the roasted bird rest before carving. Once removed from the oven, the cast iron pan will be extremely hot, and the chicken will continue to cook longer. Wait for about 10 minutes for the juicy chicken to settle further and for the flavors to come together.

How To Best Season This Roast Chicken

• Simple Italian seasoning will give tremendous flavor to a cast-iron roasted chicken and a beautiful crispy skin.
• Don't forget to also season the onions, garlic, and grapes in the pan.
• 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 inside of the chicken with garlic cloves, onions, Brie, and grapes, which will create incredible flavors.
• Divide the Brie evenly between the wings and chicken legs to create concentrated pockets of creamy goodness.
• 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.

Serving Tips

• Let the cast iron whole chicken rest briefly before carving and serving.
• With a cast-iron skillet, you can serve it directly from oven to table—just be careful because it will be super hot, and always use a trivet or worktop protector.
• 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!

Can I Roast This Chicken With Potatoes?

Yes, you certainly can. It's best to use small yellow potatoes, cut in half (about 10 to 11 or 676 grams max) to ensure that they brown evenly.

You might need an extra tablespoon (or two) of olive oil to coat the potatoes so they brown sufficiently.

Menu Suggestions For Special Occasions

Celebrating the Holidays with a smaller group of people? Here is a lovely, entertaining dinner idea 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!
• While the chicken is roasting in the oven, you can prepare your table and a healthy creamy kale salad.
• Serve with one of my favorite mocktails like the Sparkling Pineapple Mojito Mocktail or the Refreshing non-alcoholic Piña Colada.—it takes less than 15 minutes.
• Don't forget to check out my simple cranberry-clementine sauce or rhubarb compote recipes that you can make two weeks in advance to offer as an extra side.

Recipe FAQs

So there you have it… The best cast-iron roast chicken with the juiciest chicken meat and the most flavorful pan juices every single time. 

It’s healthy, easy, and only takes just 10 minutes of hands-on time!

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Have questions? Simply comment below or message me. If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a starred review below. Thank you!