I decided to try making Julia Child’s classic roast chicken.

A side view of Julia Child's classic roast chicken recipe on a platter with roasted vegetables.

When Julia Child recommends a fool-proof way to roast a chicken, I sit up, shut up, and listen.

A collage of the cooking steps for Julia Child's classic roast chicken recipe

In celebration of Julia Child’s incredible culinary legacy, this week’s JC100 recipe is the classic roast chicken from Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom. Her techniques and tips for roasting a bird are simple and straightforward, and produce a bird with crispy skin and juicy, succulent meat. Even if–like me–you’re too lazy to baste as often as she recommends, the chicken will taste wonderful. Just make sure to follow this guide for cooking time: 45 minutes + 7 minutes per pound [e.g. 4-pound chicken = 45 + 7(4) = 73 minutes]. Also: Use LOTS of butter (or ghee to keep it Whole30-friendly).

What I love best about this recipe is that you can double it and roast two chickens at the same time. That way, you’ll have plenty of leftovers and two carcasses with which to make bone broth. Winner, winner….oh, you know the rest.

Time to make Julia Child’s Classic Roast Chicken

Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 2 whole chickens, 4 pounds each
  • Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 large lemon, thinly sliced
  • 2 small onions, peeled and trimmed
  • 1 bunch of fresh thyme
  • 4 tablespoons softened butter or ghee
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped yams
  • ½ cup chopped onions

Method:

Round up two roast chickens and pat them dry.

An overhead shot of a raw whole chicken

An overhead shot of a raw whole chicken on a platter next to a lemon.

Liberally season the birds inside and out with salt and pepper.

Small bowl of kosher salt and pepper for Julia Child's Classic Roast Chicken recipe adapted by Michelle Tam / Nom Nom Paleo

I like to salt my meat for at least a few hours and up to a day before I roast it to maximize  the flavor-boosting potential.

An hour before you’re ready to cook the chickens, take them out of the fridge to come to room temperature. At the same time, put your butter or ghee on the counter to soften, and preheat the oven to 425°F.

Once the chickens are no longer chilly, dry them off with a paper towel and stuff the cavities with lemon slices, onion, and thyme.

Sliced lemon, a small onion, and fresh thyme for Julia Child's Classic Roast Chicken recipe adapted by Michelle Tam / Nom Nom Paleo

With a piece of string, tie the drumsticks together…

A seasoned raw roast chicken that is trussed and ready for the oven.

…and tuck the wingtips back behind the chicken.

A seasoned raw chicken with the wing tips folded behind the back.

Use your fingers to massage the softened butter or ghee all over the skin, and lay the chickens breast-side up on the V-rack in a large roasting pan.

A raw chicken trussed and covered with butter on a roasting rack.

Place the chickens in the oven for 15 minutes to brown the skin.

Next, decrease the oven temperature to 350°F and baste every 8 to 10 minutes if you’re so inclined. (Me? I didn’t baste AT ALL. I told you: I’m lazy.)

In a bowl, toss the carrots, yams, and chopped onions…

A closeup of a bowl filled with a bowl,chopped carrots, yams, and onions.

…with the remaining butter (or ghee) and salt and pepper.

Closeup of a bowl with butter-coated carrots, yams, and onions.

A half hour after the chicken first went in the oven, add the root vegetables to the pan and toss in the accumulated juices.

Check the chicken for doneness about five minutes before the recommended weight-based cooking time (see formula above) is up. (I checked my pair of 4-pound chickens at the 70 minute mark.) Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the thighs reach 165-170° F.

Remove the rack from the roasting pan and let the chicken rest for 20 minutes prior to carving.

Closeup of Julia Child's Classic Roast Chicken right out of the oven.

Closeup of Julia Child's Classic Roast Chicken right out of the oven.

Spoon on the root vegetables, carve up the birds, and dig in.

Closeup of Julia Child's Classic Roast Chicken on a platter with roasted vegetables.

Got leftover roast chicken? Make my Madras Chicken Salad!


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).

Julia Child's Classic Roast Chicken

5 from 2 votes
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Julia Child's classic roast chicken recipe is something you should have in your kitchen arsenal. This simple Whole30-friendly recipe is great for leftovers!

Ingredients 
 

  • 2 whole chickens 4 pounds each
  • Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 large lemon thinly sliced
  • 2 small onions peeled and trimmed
  • 1 bunch of fresh thyme
  • 4 tablespoons softened butter or ghee
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped yams
  • ½ cup chopped onions
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Instructions 

  • Round up two roast chickens and pat them dry. Liberally season the birds inside and out with salt and pepper.
  • An hour before you’re ready to cook the chickens, take them out of the fridge to come to room temperature. At the same time, put your butter or ghee on the counter to soften, and preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Once the chickens are no longer chilly, dry them off with a paper towel and stuff the cavities with lemon slices, onion, and thyme.
  • With a piece of string, tie the drumsticks together and tuck the wingtips back behind the chicken.
  • Use your fingers to massage the softened butter or ghee all over the skin, and lay the chickens breast-side up on the V-rack in a large roasting pan.
  • Place the chickens in the oven for 15 minutes to brown the skin.
  • Decrease the oven temperature to 350°F and baste every 8 to 10 minutes if you’re so inclined. (Me? I didn’t baste AT ALL. I told you: I’m lazy.)
  • In a bowl, toss the carrots, yams, and chopped onions with the remaining butter (or ghee) and salt and pepper.
  • A half hour after the chicken first went in the oven, add the root vegetables to the pan and toss in the accumulated juices.
  • Check the chicken for doneness about five minutes before the recommended weight-based cooking time (see formula above) is up. (I checked my pair of 4-pound chickens at the 70 minute mark.) Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the thighs reach 165-170° F.
  • Remove the rack from the roasting pan and let the chicken rest for 20 minutes prior to carving.
  • Spoon on the root vegetables, carve up the birds, and dig in.

Notes

  • I like to salt my meat for at least a few hours and up to a day before I roast it to maximize  the flavor-boosting potential.
  • Use leftover roast chicken to make Madras Chicken Salad!

Nutrition

Calories: 523kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 36g | Fiber: 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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3 Comments

  1. Hi!
    Odes to Julia Child! But I’m wondering if you’ve ever made this with your magic mushroom powder, swapped for the diamond crystal?
    Benefit or keep it OG?