Southerners Know A Cast-Iron Skillet Makes The Best Roast Chicken

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Suppertime doesn't get much cozier than this cast-iron roasted chicken. Rubbed with a simple mixture of salt and pepper, then roasted on a bed of butternut squash, red onions, fennel, and garlic, this crispy-skinned, juicy chicken is just the fall dinner you want to come home to after a long day, when there's just a hint of crisp bite to the breeze. This recipe is yours to customize—try it with sweet potatoes and shallots, carrots and Yukon potatoes, or whatever your heart desires.

By
Craig Ruff
Craig Ruff headshot
Craig Ruff
Craig Ruff is a dedicated cook and lover of food science. His culinary background comes from culinary school and his time working in restaurants.
Southern Living's editorial guidelines
and Jasmine Smith
Published on September 8, 2024
Recipe tested by
Southern Living Test Kitchen
Southern Living Test Kitchen
Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen

The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama.

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Southern Living Cast-Iron Roast Chicken in the pan ready to serve
Photo:

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless 
Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 50 mins
Servings:
6 to 8
Southern Living Cast Iron Roast Chicken ingredients

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless 

Ingredients

  • 1 (4-lb.) whole chicken

  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper

  • 1 Tbsp., plus 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

  • 1 (2-lb.) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces (6 cups)

  • 1 fennel bulb, cut into 8 wedges, plus fronds for garnish

  • 1 medium-size red onion, cut into 6 wedges

  • 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

  • 1 garlic head, cut in half crosswise

  • 5 thyme sprigs, plus more for garnish

  • 1 fresh sage sprig, plus 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh sage, divided

Directions

  1. Season chicken:

    Place chicken, breast side up, on a baking sheet; pat dry. Sprinkle with pepper and 1 tablespoon of the salt.

    Southern Living Cast Iron Roast Chicken seasoning the chicken

    Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless 

  2. Arrange vegetables in skillet:

    Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss squash, fennel, and onion with 1 tablespoon of the oil and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Place 1 half of the garlic head in skillet.

    Southern Living Cast Iron Roast Chicken vegetables in the skillet

    Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless 

    Stuff thyme sprigs, sage sprig, and remaining garlic half into cavity of chicken.

  3. Coat chicken in sage-oil mixture:

    In a bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of the oil with chopped sage. Spread under skin of chicken. Truss chicken; place in skillet breast side up. Brush chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

    Southern Living Cast Iron Roast Chicken preparing the chicken and vegetables for the oven

    Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless 

  4. Roast chicken:

    Transfer skillet to preheated oven; roast until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of breast registers 155°F, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with fennel fronds and thyme.

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