This is the best and easiest way to cook a Convection Oven Roast Chicken. The chicken is stuffed with lemon and onion and topped with seasonings and butter. The chicken comes out moist, juicy, and tender with a lovely browned skin. I hope you love it!
Roast chicken in a convection oven is so simple. This method creates a super juicy result with a golden crispy skin.
If you're looking for more simple showstoppers, check out my slow roast lamb, air fryer pork belly, or a comfort classic; shepherds pie.
Jump to:
Convection vs Conventional Oven, What's The Difference?
A convection oven roast chicken is one of the easiest ways to achieve perfectly crispy skin and juicy meat thanks to the fan-assisted heat circulation. Unlike a conventional oven, a convection oven (fan oven) distributes hot air evenly around the chicken, helping it cook faster while browning the skin more efficiently.
Cooking a roast chicken in a conventional oven (without a fan) will still produce a delicious result, but there are a few key differences compared to using a convection oven. Because the heat in a conventional oven comes from the top and bottom without circulating, the chicken tends to cook more slowly and less evenly, meaning you may need to baste it or turn the tray during cooking.
For best results, cook your roast chicken at around 350°F / 175°C fan (385°F / 195°C conventional equivalent), allowing the circulating air to render fat from the skin and create a golden, crispy finish without drying out the meat. Whether you're preparing a whole roast chicken for a Sunday dinner or a weeknight meal, the convection oven ensures even cooking, better flavour, and a consistently crispy texture every time.
Quick Tip!
The general temperature difference between a convection oven (fan setting) and a conventional oven is about 25°F (or 20°C).
In practice, this means if a recipe is written for a conventional oven, you should reduce the temperature by 25°F when using a fan oven. This adjustment is needed because the fan in a convection oven circulates hot air more efficiently, allowing food to cook faster and more evenly at a lower temperature.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Whole chicken: I'm using a 3.3lbs/1.5kg bird and cooking it for 1h20mins. Essentially, we're cooking the bird for 20 minutes per 1lb / 450g PLUS an additional 20 minutes at the end. This total cooking time ensures the chicken is fully cooked through while allowing the skin to become golden and crisp. For example, if your bird is 5lb / 2.3kg , cook for 1h40 PLUS another 20 minutes, so 2 hours in total.
- Lemon: this adds flavour and keeps the bird moist.
- Onion: another flavour booster. I've used white onion, but you could use red onion or shallots.
- Butter: we're covering the chicken with butter to keep it moist and enhance flavour.
- Seasonings: I'm going really basic with seasonings; salt and pepper. Depending on the flavour profiles of your dinner, you could season your roast chicken accordingly. For example, a roast dinner (thyme), mediterranean (oregano), North African (ras el hanout)...
Step by Step Instructions with Photos
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 F (convection) / 175C fan.
Place your whole chicken on a baking tray and stuff the chicken with the lemon halves and half onion. Season the bird generously with sea salt and ground black pepper. Add the butter on top of the chicken breast and legs (either in slices or you can form it into a paste and lather it on). Optionally, tie the legs using a piece of string. Transfer to the oven and roast for 1h20 minutes until the chicken is browned and fully cooked through.
Step 2: Once your roast chicken has a crispy brown skin and is cooked to perfection, remove from the oven and leave to sit for 10 minutes (cover with foil or a kitchen towel).
TIP: internal temperature should be 165 F / 75 C (use an instant read thermometer) and juices run clear, not pink.
How To Carve A Whole Roast Chicken
Tips before you begin!!
- Use a sharp knife, it makes a huge difference
- Always cut through joints, not bones
- Keep the carcass for stock (loads of flavour)
Step 1: Legs
- Gently pull one leg away from the body and cut through the skin between the leg and the breast. Push the leg down until the joint pops, and slice through with the knife to separate the leg from the breast. Repeat for the other side.
Step 2: Wings
- Remove the wings but pulling them away from the body and slice through the joint.
Step 3: Breasts
- Locate the breastbone in the centre of the body and run your knife down one side of it, then follow the curve of the rib cage to the base to lift off the whole breast in one piece.
Leftover recipe idea: I love using leftover shredded chicken breast or thighs in my no-mayo chicken salad or my chicken salad without celery for something refreshing!
FAQs
I love serving it as a roast with roasted potatoes, vegetables, and gravy. More options include shredding the chicken and serving it in a chicken cucumber salad!
Place the cooled sliced chicken into airtight containers and into the fridge for up to 3 days.
Yes, I'd recommend carving the chicken into breasts, legs, wings, and carcass. Feel free to freeze every element in airtight containers (don't forget to label with contents and date). Freeze for up to 3 months and leave to thaw in the fridge overnight.
They make a great gravy (combine melted butter and flour in a pan to make a roux, then add in the chicken juices), you can use it as a stock, great in sauces, or in a salad dressing.
Place the carcass in a saucepan with 1-2L of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 2 hours with the lid on. Remove the carcass and strain the liquid, you'll be left with a gorgeously rich chicken broth.
The general temperature difference between a convection oven (fan setting) and a conventional oven is about 25°F (or 20°C). This means if a recipe is written for a conventional oven, you should reduce the temperature by 25°F / 20°C when using a fan oven.
I'm cooking the bird for 20 minutes per 1lb / 450g PLUS an additional 20 minutes at the end. This total cooking time ensures the chicken is fully cooked through while allowing the skin to become golden and crisp. For example, if your bird is 5lb / 2.3kg , cook for 1h40 PLUS another 20 minutes, so 2 hours in total.
If you tried this Convection Oven Roast Chicken recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thank you!
Easy Convection Oven Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg whole chicken see notes for different sized birds + cooking times
- 1 lemon sliced in half
- ½ white onion peeled
- 100 g salted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (convection) / 175C fan.
- Place your whole chicken on a baking tray and stuff the chicken with the lemon halves and half onion. Season the bird generously with sea salt and ground black pepper. Add the butter on top of the chicken breast and legs (either in slices or you can form it into a paste and lather it on). Optionally, tie the legs using a piece of string. Transfer to the oven and roast for 1h20 minutes until the chicken is browned and fully cooked through.
- Once your roast chicken has a crispy brown skin and is cooked to perfection, remove from the oven and leave to sit for 10 minutes (cover with foil or a kitchen towel).TIP: internal temperature should be 165 F / 75 C (use an instant read thermometer) and juices should run clear, not run pink.
- Once rested, carve your chicken (instructions for this further up the blog with images), and serve up! Enjoy!
Leave a Reply