A whole roasted chicken is a simple, quick, and economical Whole30-friendly weeknight main dish. What I love best about whole roasted chicken is that it doesn’t take a lot of hands-on time to prep it for the oven, which means you can work on a simple vegetable side dish as you’re waiting for the chicken to finish cooking!
By stocking up whenever whole chickens go on sale, I can always keep a couple of birds in my freezer. When I’m ready to cook, I’ll take one out and pop it in the fridge before the start of the workweek. That way, it’s thawed and ready to cook mid-week—right when the temptation to order takeout is greatest!
You can roast a chicken the traditional way or you can spatchcock it (i.e., remove the backbone) and cook it flat. Either way, you’ll end up with a succulent roasted chicken that’ll make your house smell amazing!
My Favorite Whole30 Whole Roasted Chicken Recipes
Spatchcocked Chicken with Herb Ghee: This method for butterflying and roasting a whole chicken is far and away my FAVORITE way to prepare an entire bird. Don’t be intimidated by spatchcocking—I’ve got step-by-step pictures to show you how to do it!
Weeknight Roast Chicken: This fool-proof recipe for Weeknight Roast Chicken from the folks at America’s Test Kitchen is a great way to cook chicken. Just make sure to use ghee in the pan sauce to keep it Whole30-compliant!
Julia Child’s Classic Roast Chicken: Julia Child is the last word on how to roast a chicken, so if she says you should roast two at a time, do as the queen says.
What Side Dish Should I Serve With This?
There are so many options! The simplest and easiest vegetable side dish is a giant green salad, but if you’re craving some other ideas, check out the delicious vegetable dishes below:
- Garlic Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes”
- Instant Pot Autumn Mash
- Instant Pot Crispy Potatoes
- Instant Pot Braised Kale and Carrots
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Swiss Chard with Raisins, Pine Nuts, and Porkitos
Want more inspiration from my past January Whole30s? Check out my Day 28 posts from 2018!
- 2018 Whole30 Day 28: Sausage Egg “McMuffin”
A note to my Nomsters: This is one of a series of daily blog posts I’m writing in the month of January 2019 to help those doing a Whole30 to kick off the New Year. Not sure what the Whole30 is, or want info on how to get started? Read my Whole30 prep post—and then come back to Nom Nom Paleo every single day for recipes to inspire, delight, and sustain you on your Whole30!
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).
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