Ingredients Chicken Whole Chicken 23 Whole Chicken Recipes for Any Night of the Week By Food & Wine Editors Updated on November 23, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Cooking a whole chicken doesn't have to be difficult — it makes an ideal, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner. Leave the chicken whole or break it down; grill it up, oven-roast it to perfection, or cook it on the stovetop. You can even fry it up extra crispy and enjoy it hours later at a picnic. Whether you crave something classic and reserved, such as Julia Child's gorgeous roast chicken, or an intensely flavored bird, such as spicy grilled jerk chicken, we have just the recipe for the occasion in this collection of recipes for utilizing a whole chicken. 01 of 23 Kewpie-Marinated Chicken John Kernick A simple combination of lime, cumin, hot paprika, and Kewpie mayo is the secret to a pretty fine-tasting grilled chicken from F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple. Get the Recipe 02 of 23 Roast Chicken with Sausage and Peppers © John Kernick All of the classic flavors of an Italian sausage sub are combined in this fun and delicious roast chicken dish. Get the Recipe 03 of 23 Roast Chicken with Salsa Verde and Roasted Lemons CON POULOS This crisp and juicy roast chicken from star chef Jonathan Waxman of NYC's Jams is perfect with his chunky seven-herb salsa verde. Get the Recipe 04 of 23 Butter-Roasted Chicken with Soy-Garlic Glaze © Con Poulos For this recipe, we make a spiced butter with ground cloves and star anise, then rub it under the chicken skin before roasting to create an incredibly juicy and delicious bird. Get the Recipe 05 of 23 Whole Roast Chicken with 40 Brussels Sprouts © John Kernick When former F&W editor Kay Chun roasts chicken, she adds brussels sprouts to the roasting pan so they absorb the fantastic flavor of the caraway-infused chicken juices. Get the Recipe 06 of 23 Chicken with Port and Figs © DANA GALLAGHER Dried figs are poached in port to make a luscious Portuguese-inspired sauce. Ruby port provides the best color, but tawny will also taste good. Get the Recipe 07 of 23 Pan-Roasted Chicken with Corn Relish © Antonis Achilleos This one-skillet recipe is based on a dish chef Cathal Armstrong's father, Gerry, made when Armstrong was growing up in Dublin, with a big difference. "We only got fresh corn for our birthdays. Otherwise it was frozen," Cathal shared. Get the Recipe 08 of 23 Chicken alla Diavola © Dana Gallagher Chef Salvatore Denaro's pollo alla diavola ("devil's-style chicken") is intensely seasoned. Two days prior to cooking, Denaro infuses white wine vinegar with a big bunch of dried Sicilian oregano for a marinade. Then he seasons the marinated chicken with an herb mixture, or condimento, that includes Turkish bay laurel and myrtle leaves. Feel free to experiment with a variety of herbs for the condimento. Get the Recipe 09 of 23 Julia's Favorite Roast Chicken CON POULOS Julia Child seasoned this roast chicken inside and out by packing sautéed vegetables, lemon slices, and fresh herbs into the cavity, then rubbing the skin with butter. In typical French fashion, she trussed the bird to promote even cooking. Get the Recipe 10 of 23 Spice-Rubbed Roast Chicken with Two Sauces © Con Poulos At his chicken-focused restaurant in Atlanta, Bantam + Biddy, chef Shaun Doty uses an Old Hickory rotisserie to cook his birds, which are coated with a lemony fennel seed rub. The choice of sauces to serve alongside includes smoky piri piri and Dominican wasakaka made with onion, chiles, and herbs. Get the Recipe 11 of 23 Whole Grilled Chicken with Wilted Arugula © Quentin Bacon Cooking a whole chicken on the grill can be tricky, but chef Thomas Keller has perfected a method that uses indirect heat: He adds rosemary sprigs to the coals to infuse the smoke and flavor the chicken. Get the Recipe 12 of 23 Chicken in a Pot with Lemon Orzo Jonathan Lovekin "This is a very forgiving dish," says television cook Nigella Lawson. "It doesn't rely on precision timing: The chicken, leeks, and carrots are meant to be soft, and I even like it when the orzo is cooked far beyond the timing specified on the package. It's also open to variation, owing to what's in your kitchen." Get the Recipe 13 of 23 Jamaican Jerk Chicken Photo by Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Mariana Velasquez / Prop Styling by Thom Driver There are as many takes on jerk chicken in Jamaica as there are cooks on the island, but most share the same method: Chicken is coated in a seasoning mixture dominated by spices and chiles, then grilled. The key to this wonderfully spicy, smoky, and fragrant jerk chicken is including five-spice powder in the marinade. Get the Recipe 14 of 23 Gaeng Rawaeng Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell In this recipe, a small chicken gently cooks in a velvety curry sauce of coconut milk spiced with chiles and galangal, a piney, citrus-flavored cousin of ginger. Use a mix of green chile varieties to suit your preference for piquancy. Get the Recipe 15 of 23 Grill-Roasted Chicken with Crushed Fingerling Potatoes and Shallot Vinaigrette Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Crushed juniper berries combine with garlic and herbs to perfume this smoky chicken that makes for a stunning centerpiece for a leisurely lunch with good company. Smothering the chicken and crushed potatoes with a classic shallot vinaigrette means every plate will be wiped clean. Get the Recipe 16 of 23 Nigerian Clay Pot Chicken Caitlin Bensel In this recipe, chicken is trussed, rubbed with an alligator pepper and makrut lime compound butter, then nestled on a layer of seasonal vegetables. Lemongrass, whole lime slices, and ginger add a punchy fragrance and a tangible sweetness to the pot. In the oven, the delicious herb-spiced chicken drippings coat the vegetables and citrus slices, which all gently caramelize as the chicken cooks. Get the Recipe 17 of 23 Zui Ji (Drunken Chicken) Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This classic Shanghainese banquet dish is traditionally served at the new year to represent togetherness and rebirth. To "intoxicate" the chicken, it's marinated in rice wine for up to five days, so this is a great dish to make ahead. Get the Recipe 18 of 23 Summer Chicken and Pepper Stew Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis This light stew showcases sweet peppers and bright herbs. The classic cooking method builds flavor while gently cooking the chicken for a light and satisfying summer supper. Serve with polenta and crusty bread for soaking up the garlicky sauce. Get the Recipe 19 of 23 Best-Ever Cold Fried Chicken Con Poulos This extra-crispy chicken retains its crunch in the fridge, so it’s ideal for picnics or just eating right out of the icebox. It's especially great served with hot sauce and assorted pickles. Get the Recipe 20 of 23 Poblano Pimiento Cheese–Roasted Chicken Con Poulos Ashley Christensen, the chef at Poole's in North Carolina, kicks up her pimento cheese with spicy poblanos and green hot sauce. In this brilliant riff, the creamy dip is spread under the skin of a whole bird before it's roasted to get both crispy skin and juicy meat. Get the Recipe 21 of 23 Roast Chicken with Cilantro-Mint Chutney Jen Causey Roast chicken, whole or separated into pieces, benefits brilliantly from chutney-based marinades. You make the chutney and reserve half as your dipping sauce, while the other half gets folded into creamy, tangy yogurt to make a flavorful marinade for the chicken. Get the Recipe 22 of 23 Tamarind Chicken Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell The beauty of this grilled tamarind chicken is both its sharp and piquant flavor and its simplicity. A potent tamarind and chipotle marinade renders a richly flavored, juicy, and tender chicken in mere minutes, making it equally suited for a weeknight meal or a dinner party. Get the Recipe 23 of 23 Roast Chicken and Warm Escarole Caesar Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood This roast chicken from the menu at Dusek's in Chicago is a sleeper hit, combining comforting roast chicken and the briny flavors of Caesar salad for a cozy meal. Marinating the chicken for at least 24 hours in a koji marinade makes it nice and juicy while infusing it with tons of flavor. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit