This is my wife’s favorite everyday meal... the kind of dish she could happily eat on repeat without ever getting tired of it. In our house, it’s the workhorse recipe: what we make after a long day when we want something that feels nourishing and genuinely delicious, but doesn’t require a big plan or a sink full of dishes.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35–45 minutes (based on how you cut the chicken)
Rest time: 10 minutes
Oven: 180°C using fan on symbol (350-360°F)

 

Ingredients (serves 3–4)

• 1 whole chicken
• Olive oil (about 1–2 tablespoons)
• Medium-coarse sea salt (start with 1½–2 teaspoons, adjust to taste and chicken size)
• Fresh black pepper, medium-finely ground generously (you want a bold coat)
• Optional: a small handful of aromatics (sliced onion, smashed garlic cloves, lemon wedges, or a few sprigs of rosemary/thyme)
  

Equipment:

• Sheet pan
• Parchment paper or foil (for easier cleanup)
• Instant-read thermometer (highly recommended)

 

Prep

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C with the fan on (350-360°F)
2. Choose your sizing and cut your chicken: 
   • Whole chicken: classic look, slightly longer cook, very juicy.
   • Butterflied/spatchcocked: crispiest skin, most even cooking.
   • 4–6 pieces: fastest cook, easiest to portion, breasts and legs may finish at different times.
3. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
4. Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels. Dry skin is the secret to good browning and crispiness.
5. If using a whole chicken, you can roast it as-is, or butterfly it for faster cooking. If using pieces, arrange them skin-side up.

 

Seasoning (the “pepper-forward” method)

1. Place the chicken on the lined sheet pan.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and rub it over the skin so everything is lightly coated.
3. Sprinkle medium-coarse sea salt evenly over all the chicken.
4. Grind fresh black pepper generously over the chicken (we recommend a medium-fine ground for this stage). Don’t be shy—you’re building a pepper crust. Aim for an even, speckled layer across the skin.
5. Optional: tuck aromatics inside or under the chicken OR around on the pan, inside, or underneath (onion, garlic, lemon, herbs). They’ll perfume the drippings and give you something tasty to serve alongside.

 

Roasting

1. Roast for 15 minutes at 180°C with the fan on (350-360°F)
2. Pull the pan out and baste: spoon the rendered juices/fat over the chicken. This helps the pepper bloom and the skin brown evenly.
3. Return to the oven and continue roasting, checking every 10 minutes after that first baste. Timing depends on your chicken cut and size.

Best way to know it’s done: meat thermometer

• Breast should reach ~69°C (155–160°F).
• The carryover heat during resting will finish it to 74°C (165°F).
• If you’re measuring thighs/legs, they can go higher to 77–88°C (170–190°F) and still stay juicy.

 

Finish + serve (the second pepper hit)

1. Remove chicken from the oven.
2. Rest for 10 minutes (DON'T SKIP THIS). This keeps the meat juicy and lets the drippings settle so carving is cleaner.
3. Just before serving, grind coarse black pepper over the chicken. This is the signature move: you get that fresh, aromatic pepper lift that you can’t bake into the bird.
4. Optional: add a squeeze of lemon to brighten everything, and a pinch of flaky salt if needed.
5. Serve with the pan juices spooned over the top or as a dipping sauce. 
   

 

What to serve it with

• Steamed rice or buttered noodles (perfect with the peppery drippings)
• A crisp salad (something acidic helps: vinaigrette, citrus, pickles)
• Roasted vegetables on the same tray (potatoes, carrots, cabbage wedges)
  
  

This is the kind of roast chicken you can make on autopilot—olive oil, salt, and an unapologetic amount of black pepper—then finish with one last fresh grind at the table. It’s simple, aromatic, and the kind of “never get tired of it” dinner that always feels like a win. Try it for yourself!