Three ingredients and a hot oven. Martha Stewart’s Every-Week Roast Chicken is exactly what the name says: a roast chicken so simple you will make it every single week. Season a whole 3 1/2 to 4-pound chicken with coarse salt, tie the legs, tuck the wings, and roast at 450 degrees for about 12 minutes per pound until the thigh hits 165 degrees.
This is the Martha Stewart roast chicken recipe I learned first, and it is still the one I come back to more than any other. It is one of Martha Stewart’s best chicken recipes because there is nothing to hide behind. No marinade, no sauce, no herbs unless you want them. Just salt, heat, and good technique. If you have never roasted a whole chicken before, this is the Martha Stewart chicken dish to start with.
Try More Dinner Recipes:
Why You Will Love This Every-Week Roast Chicken:
- Three ingredients: A chicken, coarse salt, and olive oil if you want it. That is the entire recipe. I have made dinners with longer ingredient lists for a side salad. The simplicity is the whole point.
- Five minutes of actual work: Season, tie, tuck, put it in the oven. Then you sit down for an hour. I usually start this, clean the kitchen, and by the time I am done wiping counters the house smells incredible.
- Leftovers for days: Martha designed this recipe so you get dinner tonight and ingredients for soups, sandwiches, and salads all week. I pull the leftover meat on Sunday night and use it through Wednesday without thinking twice.
Every-Week Roast Chicken Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (a 3 1/2 to 4-pound bird will serve 4)
- Coarse salt
- Olive oil (optional)
How To Make Martha Stewart Every-Week Roast Chicken
- Preheat and season: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Season the chicken generously with coarse salt. If the bird is small, rub it with olive oil for color, but this is not necessary for one larger than 3 1/2 pounds.
- Truss the chicken: Tie the legs together and tuck the wing tips beneath the body.
- Roast: Roast on a small rimmed baking sheet until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 165 degrees, about 12 minutes per pound.
- Rest and carve: Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
Recipe Tips
- Let the chicken sit at room temperature first: Martha says to let the chicken stand at room temperature for an hour before roasting. This is the key to fast, even cooking. I take it out of the fridge when I start preheating and it makes a real difference in how evenly the breast and thigh cook.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet, not a deep pan: Martha specifically says to use a small rimmed baking sheet. The low sides let steam escape so the skin crisps instead of steaming. I tried this in a deep roasting pan once and the skin was soft. Never again.
- The salt matters more than you think: People who make this recipe every week say that coarse sea salt makes a huge difference over regular table salt. I have tried flaky Maldon salt, kosher salt, and French sea salt, and each one changes the flavor slightly. It is fun to experiment.
- No thermometer backup: Martha says if you do not have a thermometer, look for golden skin, legs that feel loose when wiggled, and juices that run clear when you pierce between the breast and leg with a knife tip. I still recommend getting a thermometer, but these signs have never steered me wrong.
What Goes Well With This Roast Chicken
I change the sides every week since the chicken is so neutral. A tray of potatoes au gratin is my Sunday night move, and a quick green bean casserole rounds out the plate.
Martha suggests scattering carrots, potatoes, and sweet potatoes around the bird at the start of cooking, then adding garlic, onion, lemon, and parsnips after 30 minutes. I do this when I want a one-pan meal. A loaf of cornbread on the side never hurts either.
How To Store Leftovers
Pull all the meat off the bones while the chicken is still warm and store it in an airtight container. Keeps 4 days in the fridge, freezes well for 3 months. Save the carcass for stock.
I use the leftovers in everything: sandwiches, soup, tossed into pasta, over salad. Martha says this recipe is designed to give you ingredients for the rest of the week, and she is right. Sunday’s roast chicken becomes Monday’s chicken salad and Tuesday’s soup without any extra thought.
FAQs
- Why 450 degrees and not lower? The high heat crisps the skin fast while keeping the inside juicy. Lower temperatures dry out the breast before the thigh finishes. I have tried 375 and 425 and 450 gives the best skin every time.
- Do I need the olive oil? Martha says olive oil is optional and only for smaller birds that need help browning. For a chicken over 3 1/2 pounds, the skin has enough fat to crisp on its own. I skip it most of the time.
- Can I add herbs or stuff the cavity? Martha lists rosemary, thyme, savory, and oregano as options. I sometimes tuck a halved lemon, a few garlic cloves, and some thyme into the cavity before roasting. It perfumes the meat without changing the recipe. One reviewer stuffs hers with garlic, thyme, lemon, and a shallot every time.
- How do I know how long to roast? Martha says about 12 minutes per pound. For a 3 1/2-pound chicken, that is about 42 minutes. For a 4-pound bird, about 48 minutes. I always go by the thermometer though, not just the clock.
More Dinner Recipes:
Nutrition Facts
(1 serving, serves 4)
- Calories: 390
- Total Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Cholesterol: 150mg
- Sodium: 480mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 0g
- Protein: 46g
Martha Stewart Every Week Roast Chicken Recipe
Description
Three ingredients and a hot oven. Martha Stewart’s Every-Week Roast Chicken is exactly what the name says: a roast chicken so simple you will make it every single week. Season a whole 3 1/2 to 4-pound chicken with coarse salt, tie the legs, tuck the wings, and roast at 450 degrees for about 12 minutes per pound until the thigh hits 165 degrees.
This is the Martha Stewart roast chicken recipe I learned first, and it is still the one I come back to more than any other. It is one of Martha Stewart’s best chicken recipes because there is nothing to hide behind. No marinade, no sauce, no herbs unless you want them. Just salt, heat, and good technique. If you have never roasted a whole chicken before, this is the Martha Stewart chicken dish to start with.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat and season: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Season the chicken generously with coarse salt. If the bird is small, rub it with olive oil for color, but this is not necessary for one larger than 3 1/2 pounds.
- Truss the chicken: Tie the legs together and tuck the wing tips beneath the body.
- Roast: Roast on a small rimmed baking sheet until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 165 degrees, about 12 minutes per pound.
- Rest and carve: Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
Notes
- Let the chicken sit at room temperature first: Martha says to let the chicken stand at room temperature for an hour before roasting for fast, even cooking.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet, not a deep pan: The low sides let steam escape so the skin crisps instead of steaming.
- The salt matters: Coarse sea salt makes a noticeable difference over regular table salt. Try different types each time.
- No thermometer backup: Look for golden skin, legs that feel loose when wiggled, and juices that run clear when pierced between breast and leg.