Name: Whole Roasted Chicken Oreganata
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 105 min
Ingredients: 8 pound whole chicken; 1 tablespoon oregano; 1 teaspoon parsley; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Jump to Recipe -

Chicken Oreganata made with a whole roaster chicken basted with oregano, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil; then roasted until golden brown.

Making a whole roasted chicken like this Oreganata version is super easy; especially when cooked in a Dutch oven. I make a whole chicken at least three times per month; even though it's mainly just the two of us at home now.

Leftovers help ease the weeknight dinner dilemma because we can top any extras on a tossed salad, make chicken salad or pot pie; then use the carcass to make homemade chicken soup for lunches.

This Chicken Oreganata is very flavorful and takes about 1 ½-2 hours to make depending on the size of the chicken.

I also opted to use dried herbs since the fresh haven't looked very good at my local grocery store.

Suggested Equipment

Dutch Oven (or roasting pan)
Small Bowl
Meat Thermometer
Carving Board
Carving Knife
Meat Platter

Ingredients Needed

For this recipe you'll need the following ingredients:

Whole Chicken: I used a large roaster chicken that was approximately 8-pounds.

Oregano: Dried oregano works just as well as fresh in this recipe. If using fresh, double the amount.

Parsley: Again, I used dried, but double the amount if using fresh.

Garlic Powder

Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

Lemon Juice

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cooking Time

As a rule of thumb, cook a whole roaster chicken in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees F.

Take the temperature by inserting a meat thermometer into the inner part of the thigh and the thickest part of the breast.

I always err on the side of "no pink at all" due to a food poisoning incident over 30 years ago. It scarred me for life!

So I tend to cook my whole chicken to at least 175 degrees F, remove from the oven; then allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before carving. This seals in the juices and continues to cook while resting.

You can serve this roaster chicken with so many sides but one of my favorites is Chive Butter Smashed Potatoes and Garlic and Herb Creamed Corn.

How do you make Chicken Oreganata?

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove any innards from the roaster chicken and discard, rinse under cold water, pat dry; then place in a roasting pan or Dutch oven.

I like using a Dutch oven as I find the chicken cooks more evenly. In a small bowl, combine the oregano, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil.

Mix well; then baste on top of the chicken making sure to coat the top, wings and legs.

Cook the chicken 15 minutes per pound without basting in between so the topping stays on as much as possible. Remove from the oven; then allow to rest 5-10 minutes before carving.

How to Carve a whole Chicken

Whether you're making a roaster chicken or a 25 lb. turkey, carving can be a little daunting for the first time cook. Here are some steps to get you started:

Cut the legs from the body where the thigh meets the breast.
Cut through the leg joint to separate the drumstick from the thigh.
If you prefer your dark meat sliced, hold the drumstick by the leg and slice the meat downward off of the bone. For the thigh, cut the meat off of the bone angling the knife as you go.
Carve both breasts from the breastbone and ribcage; then slice the breast crosswise into ½-inch thick slices.

How to make Gravy

You can make gravy with all purpose flour, cornstarch or a thickening agent like Wondra. I prefer using flour as it holds up better if there are any leftovers that need to be refrigerated or frozen.

When use any thickening agent, add just enough cold water so that when mixed it's easily pourable and smooth. The amount will depend on how much thickening agent you use.

Place the pan drippings in a saucepan, removing as much excess oil as you can.
Combine the thickening agent in a small bowl; then whisk until smooth and no lumps.
Heat the pan drippings over medium high heat; then add your thickening agent mixture.
Whisk until the gravy is smooth and has thickened to your liking, season with salt and pepper; then strain the gravy through a fine sieve.

Other Oreganata Uses

Because of the light, lemony flavor, you can use this recipe on top of pork, shellfish, fish or any form of chicken (boneless, bone-in, tenders, etc).

VISIT THE RECIPE INDEX TO SEARCH FOR MORE RECIPES BY CATEGORY.

More Roaster Chicken Recipes

SIGN UP FOR MY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AND RECEIVE A FREE EBOOK!