Two Whole Roasted Chickens + Chicken Gravy
Ingredients
Ingredients for Roasting 2 Chickens:
- 2 whole chickens (5 lb each), giblets removed, patted dry
- 5 tsp fine sea salt, divided
- 2 tsp ground black pepper, divided
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large lemon, quartered
- 1 garlic head, halved crosswise
- 4 rosemary sprigs, divided
- 2 medium onions, sliced to 1/4” thick rings
- 1 tsp olive oil
Chicken Gravy - Optional:
- 4 Tbsp oil , skimmed from pan drippings
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup liquid drippings
- 1/2 cup water or milk, added to taste and desired consistency
Instructions
How to Roast 2 Whole Chickens:
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Preheat oven to 425˚F with a rack in the lower third of the oven (you want the whole chicken to be in the center of the oven).
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Line a large roasting pan with onion slices, drizzle with olive oil.
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Remove giblets from chickens and pat dry inside and outside with paper towels. Season inside each chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper then stuff each with 2 lemon quarters, 1/2 of garlic head and 2 sprigs rosemary.
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Place chicken over the onions breast-side-up. Tie legs together and tuck the wings under the chicken so they don’t scorch.
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Melt butter and brush top and sides of chicken and immediately season each chicken with 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Butter and season chickens one at a time so the butter doesn’t solidify making it difficult for seasoning to stick.
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Bake at 425˚F for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the size of your chicken or until the internal temperature at the deepest part of the thigh reaches 165˚F, and juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh.* Rest chicken for 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven before slicing and serving.
To Make Chicken Gravy:
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Strain pan drippings through a fine sieve and discard the solids. The drippings sit for a minute and you’ll notice the fat will float to the top. Spoon off 4 Tbsp of fat and add that to a small saucepan. Skim off and discard any remaining excess fat on your drippings.
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Place the saucepan with fat over medium heat then add 2 Tbsp flour and whisk to combine. Continue whisking for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden. Add 1 cup of pan drippings and whisk until thickened and bubbling. Add water or milk to desired taste and consistency. I added about 1/2 cup milk. Bring back to a simmer, whisking constantly then remove from heat.
Recipe Notes
*Bake according to the time chart. I like to let the chicken go 5 degrees higher to be safe when cooking a whole chicken. Estimated times for 2 chickens:
- 4 lbs each: Bake 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 30 min
- 4.5 lbs each: Bake 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 45 min
- 5 lbs each: Bake 1 hr 45 min to 2 hrs
**Nutrition label is for chickens only and does not include gravy.