This is how to make a Dutch oven whole chicken with vegetables! It's super easy in a cast iron pot. Tender oven baked or fried whole chicken are the only way to go for us now! You'll never go back after you've tried this.

Dutch oven whole chicken, roasted with herbs and stuffed with carrots and celery for a flavorful, tender meal.

We are new to using a dutch oven but LOVE it already! The first thing we tried was this dutch oven whole chicken. It turned out tender and moist with no effort from us (other than prepping it). one of the easy dutch oven recipes our family loves.

Using fresh vegetables like carrots celery and onions are best. We had these at home so we stuffed the cavity full to absorb the juices while it was cooking. Those came out so good that everyone fought over them. We then realized that next time we needed to try and add more in there so we all got a few.

Ok so why do we love cooking this bird whole? Well first off it is the cheapest way to buy it. No prep on the butchers part and stays moist with the dark meat and white together. If you have never tried to bake a whole chicken at 350 you're in for a treat.

We love cooking all the things in this thing. The material of cast iron is a great heat conductor so the steam stays in and keeps everything inside as moist as possible. We will say that it does make the most tender quick and easy chicken recipes though.

Ingredient notes

Ok so we have a few different cast iron pots because we love them so much. For this one we would suggest at least a 7 quart Dutch Oven size so everything fits nicely and there is a bit of room around the bird. You want the steam to surround it.

As for choosing a Whole chicken We prefer one that is organic, around 4-5 pounds and free range has the best flavor.

Vegetables we like to use are fresh celery onionand carrots and potatoes. We can find them year round and they are cheap to add lots of flavor.

Seasoned salt and herbs of your choice as well as some Salt and pepper before and after if you like are the basic seasonings we use.

Olive oil will help flavorings stick well to the skin, avocado oil would be a good alternative.

In the past Lawry's seasoned salt was our go to. If we are lazy we will still use that but now we tend to mix our own up. We are sure you have your favorites so go with it…. This is what our dutch oven roasted chicken looked like once we prepped it with all the herbs and spices.

Other variations people make might be to add 1/4 cup of white wine or broth if you wanted more liquid at the bottom to make gravy with. None is necessary though as the bird emits drippings to allow it to steam.

Dutch oven whole chicken nestled in a pot, stuffed with carrots, celery, and herbs, ready to be cooked.

Can you add potatoes?

Yes, that is what we do. Once prepped place the chicken breast side up into your pot. Instead of using a trivet we like to use medium sized potatoes as a stand to keep the chicken off the bottom so it doesn't get soggy skin. This makes the potatoes flavorful as they are in the drippings. They might be your favorite part actually! This will be the best cooked chicken dinner you'll ever have.

How Long to Cook Whole Chicken in Dutch Oven

You don't want to overcook pot roast chickenand 3 hrs is solid for our oven but each one differs slightly so check. Then remove your lid and cook with lid off for 15 – 20 minutes to brown the skin. As always you will want to let the meat rest when you take it out. From 15 minutes to 30 minutes is good.

Keep it covered too, that is what is great about this cast iron pot. It creates great steam inside until it is tender as ever. Then at the end you will remove the lid to brown the top. That isn't necessary either but we recommend that extra step.

How Long to Cook Frozen Whole Chicken in Dutch Oven

You would increase the timing by 30 minutes – 1 hour if it is right out of the freezer, that is all. You'd basically be following our Frozen Whole Chicken in Oven recipe however it would be moister this way cooked in a cast iron pot.

How to Make Gravy out of the Drippings

The drippings underneath will answer the question of what is chicken broth truly when made homemade. Don't throw that out! Create a bit of a cornstarch slurry to thicken it into a wonderful gravy from chicken drippings.

Dutch Oven Whole Chicken Recipe

By This dutch oven whole chicken recipe is good! Perfectly baked in the oven or cooked over a campfire, it comes out moist and juicy every time. Prep: 10 minutes minsCook: 3 hours hrsTotal: 3 hours hrs 10 minutes minsServings: 5 Save Recipe Saved! Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

5 pound whole chicken, approx 4.5 lbs.
4-5 medium potatoes, we used red, left whole
2-3 large carrots, leave in large chunks or they will get too soft
2-3 stalks celery, cut into large chunks
1 small onion, sliced large pcs.
1 tbsp Lawrys seasoned saltor other brand
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp olive oil
Gravy from chicken drippingsclick on link to make this

Instructions

Rinse your chicken. Take items, if any, out of cavity and discard.
Poke your potatoes and put them in the bottom of your dutch oven in the middle so your chicken can sit upon them and not fall over.
Rinse vegetables, take top layer of onion off and cut in fourths.
Put 2 pcs of onion inside chicken cavity as well as carrots and celery in large chunks so they don't overcook.
Put remaining veggies on the outside of your chicken inside the dutch oven. Rub olive oil on top of meat, set inside on top of potatoes with the breast side facing up. Season outside of chicken skin with seasonings of your choice (we use Lawry's, oregano, garlic powder, etc).
Put your lid on and put in a preheated oven at 300 degrees for approximately 3 hours
Check after 2.5 hrs to see if chicken is at a safe 170 degrees using a meat thermometer and putting it inside the breast area.
You don't want to overcook it, and 3 hrs is solid for our oven but each one differs slightly so check.
Then remove your lid and cook with lid off for 15 minutes to brown the skin.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Entree, Main CourseCuisine: American Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!

Other Dutch oven recipes you'll love

The best beef dutch oven stew is here. If you want to make veggies with smaller pieces, make Dutch Oven chicken breast with vegetables together Baking bread in a Dutch Oven is a great side dish

You could easily make our 5 ingredient chili in this pot over a campfire or in your oven. Dutch oven cooking at it's finest we tell you. If you've only tried whole chicken in a slow cooker before this is a nice change!