Cast Iron Skillet Whole Roasted Chicken (with Maple Butter!)
on Nov 21, 2025
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This Cast Iron Skillet Whole Roasted Chicken is a no-fail, no-fuss one-pan dinner. The chicken is dry-brined and seasoned with a maple dijon butter and stuffed with lemons, herbs, and garlic. Serve with a Dijon Chicken Gravy, and dinner is ready in no time.
If you’re looking for chicken recipes, check out our Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls and Garlic Herb Roasted Chicken.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Dry-brining the chicken ahead of time results in a juicy, tender, and crispy-skinned roasted chicken.
- The flavors of maple and Dijon add tang and sweetness to the flavors when roasting.
- The cavity is stuffed with lemon, garlic, thyme, and sage, layering aromatic flavors throughout.
- The maple dijon butter is added underneath the skin to provide even more moisture and flavor.
- Hands-off, just set it and forget it!
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the ingredients you need to make this recipe, including all our tips and substitutions.
- Whole Chicken: The star of this recipe! The chicken is dry-brined with kosher salt overnight to dry out. This allows the chicken to crisp nicely in the oven and also adds juiciness and tenderness.
- Chicken Stuffing: The chicken is stuffed with lemons, garlic, sage, and thyme. This cooks with the chicken and adds flavor.
- Maple Dijon Butter: A mix of maple syrup, dijon mustard, and unsalted softened butter is mixed together and put under the chicken skin.
- Extra-virgin olive oil and black pepper: These ingredients are added to the chicken before cooking to allow even browning without burning from the butter.
The full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Tips and Substitutions
- Maple Syrup Substitutions: You can swap maple syrup with honey or agave if you prefer.
- Dry Brine: While you don’t have to do this, for a big bird of this size, we highly encourage a dry salt brine in the fridge, uncovered overnight.
- Prep: You can prepare this ahead of time and pop it in the oven when ready to serve. You can also cook the chicken ahead of time and rewarm it in the oven when ready to serve.
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to Make Cast Iron Roasted Chicken
Step 1: Pat your chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with kosher salt. Place on a baking sheet in the fridge, uncovered, to brine overnight.
Step 2: Mix softened butter, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard to create your butter.
Step 3: Stuff the cavity with halved lemons, thyme, sage, and halved garlic. Rub the softened butter under the skin.
Step 4: On the outside skin of the chicken, season with olive oil and pepper. Transfer to the oven until fully cooked. Let rest before slicing.
The full detailed instructions can be found on the recipe card below.
Cast Iron Skillet Picks
Below are some ideas to choose from for your cast-iron skillet options! What we love about cast iron is that it can also be used as the serving vessel, no need to transfer to a serving dish! Below, we’ve given three price points to review.
- Lodge Cast Iron Skillet: An amazing, affordable pick for your cast iron. We have used ours for decades, and it has stood the test of time. It is the perfect vessel for a roasted chicken!
- Made-In Enameled Cast Iron Skillet: Another great option and budgeting between the Lodge and the Staub. We use our Made-in-Stainless-Steel set for a lot of our cooking.
- Staub Enameled Cast Iron Fry Pan: A more splurge-worthy cast iron option that also has lasted me decades. I tend to use my super large Staub fry pan when I’m cooking a really big protein or chicken, and the Lodge when I’m cooking for less than 4. You can use either their fry pan, or sometimes I like to use a large Staub Braiser for my chicken.
Leftover Roast Chicken Ideas
Below are some ideas to use and add chicken to if you have any leftovers. We always tend to have leftovers when we’re making a big chicken!
- Poached Chicken Salad with a Creamy Sesame Dressing
- Lemon White Bean Chicken Soup
- Chicken Bulgogi Bowls with Gochujang Spicy Mayo
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Spinach & Mushrooms
- Mushroom Pot Pie
- Creamy Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese (with Smoked Gouda!)
Serving Recommendations
Looking for some ideas to serve with this cast-iron roasted chicken? We have you covered!
- To serve alongside salads, try our Endive Caesar Salad with Harissa Breadcrumbs, Simple Roasted Delicata Squash Salad with Fennel and Radicchio, or Radicchio Salad with Chives and Hazelnuts.
- For a Thanksgiving feast, serve with Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes, Easy Sautéed Haricots Verts with Shallots, Creamy Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese (with Smoked Gouda!), and Garlic Rosemary Turkey Gravy.
- For sides to pair with this chicken, try our Easy Fondant Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Sage, or 5 Ingredient Roasted Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts.
Cast Iron Roasted Chicken FAQs
Cooking your chicken in a cast-iron skillet allows for easy and even heat retention. It also allows for easy cleanup. You can save the drippings more easily in a cast-iron to make a gravy or pan sauce.
While you don’t have to do this, for a big bird, we highly encourage a dry salt brine in the fridge, uncovered overnight.
The most precise way to tell is to use a meat thermometer. You want the thickest part of the breast’s internal temperature to be at around no more than 135 degrees.
More Chicken Recipes
If you do make this Cast Iron Roasted Chicken recipe, leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, we would love to hear what you think! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram, we love to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest in your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter. We can also be found on YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Cast Iron Skillet Whole Roasted Chicken (with Maple Butter!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 3.5 to 4 pounds
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large lemon, halved
- 1 large garlic head, halved
- Small handful of fresh thyme
- Small handful of fresh sage
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- The night before, pat your chicken completely dry with paper towels. Transfer to a baking sheet and season generously all around with kosher salt, including the inside of the cavity. Transfer to the fridge, uncovered, overnight, and up to 2 days. This will dry out the skin and add flavor and tenderness to the chicken.
- When ready to roast, preheat your oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, mix together Dijon mustard, softened butter and maple syrup with black pepper. Since your chicken is well salted, you won’t need to use salt here.
- Transfer your chicken breast-side up to a large cast iron skillet. Stuff the cavity of your chicken with your halved lemon, halved garlic, thyme and sage.
- Gently separate the skin from the breast meat using your fingers. Spread the softened butter mixture evenly under the skin. Make sure the butter is evenly placed on the skin.
- Drizzle olive oil over the outside of the chicken and season with black pepper.
- Transfer to the preheated oven to roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, flipping the cast iron occasionally to allow for even browning. Every time you move the cast iron around, baste the top of the skin.
- When ready to remove, the skin should be a deep golden brown and the thickest part of the breast should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Transfer to a cutting board to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. Carve the legs off first, then the wings, and then the breast. Serve as is or you can use the pan drippings to make a Dijon Chicken Gravy.
Notes
- Maple Syrup Substitutions: You can swap maple syrup with honey or agave if you prefer.
- Dry Brine: While you don’t have to do this, for a big bird of this size, we highly encourage a dry salt brine in the fridge, uncovered overnight.
- Prep: You can prepare this ahead of time and pop it in the oven when ready to serve. You can also cook the chicken ahead of time and rewarm it in the oven when ready to serve.
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
One of my go-to’s for dinner, or a special Thanksgiving main alternative! It’s made with a special maple dijon butter and the drippings in the cast iron can be used to make a gravy! Enjoy!