Oven-Baked Rotisserie-Style Chicken

Baked chicken
Tonic Photo Studios, LLC/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

If you love rotisserie chicken, but do not have a rotisserie accessory, you can achieve a similar effect by baking one in your oven.

The method begins by seasoning a whole chicken with a good blend of herbs and spices. Marinating overnight helps infuse flavor and tenderize the chicken.

Whole chickens can be purchased in most areas for less than $1 per pound, so they make an economical meal. And this recipe is easy as pie so you have a win-win situation.

Ingredients

  • 1 (4- to 6-pound) whole chicken
  • 3 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves (crushed between palms)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne or chipotle pepper, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Additional salt for the cavity
  • 1 medium onion (peeled and quartered)

Steps to Make It

  1. Remove any giblets from the chicken and trim the wing tips. Freeze them for other purposes or discard. Pat the chicken dry thoroughly, inside and out, with paper towels.

  2. Whisk together brown sugar, paprika, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, allspice, cayenne or chipotle pepper, and black pepper until combined.

  3. Sprinkle this mixture over the exterior of the chicken and salt the cavity.

  4. Place seasoned chicken in a resealable bag or wrap in two layers of plastic wrap.

  5. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or overnight (see Notes).

  6. Heat oven to 350 F. Line a roaster pan with foil, shiny-side up. Insert a v-rack in the pan.

  7. Place the chicken breast-side up (see Notes) in the V-rack.

  8. Pierce the inside of the cavity of the bird in 4 or 5 places to allow the steam to penetrate.

  9. Stuff the cavity with the onion quarters. Roast for 2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 165 F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat (not touching bone).

  10. Let chicken rest for 15 minutes before carving.

  11. Discard onions from the cavity. Carve and serve.

Notes: If you do not have the time to wait for marination, the chicken will be just fine if you immediately cook it after seasoning. If the presentation is not an issue, consider roasting the chicken breast-side down. This allows all the juices to drip into the breast meat for a moister result.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
810 Calories
46g Fat
4g Carbs
90g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 810
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 46g 58%
Saturated Fat 13g 63%
Cholesterol 285mg 95%
Sodium 887mg 39%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Protein 90g
Calcium 58mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)