This Oven Roasted Whole Chicken is a whole chicken seasoned two ways — a garlic-herb butter made with fresh rosemary, thyme, and garlic gets tucked directly under the skin to baste the meat from the inside as it roasts, while an oil-spice rub goes on the outside for a deeply golden, crispy skin.

The two-layer approach is what separates a genuinely juicy roast from one that tastes like it was simply seasoned on the surface. From there the oven takes over, and the result is deeply golden skin with tender, flavorful meat all the way through.

Start by patting the chicken very dry with paper towels — this is the step most people skip, and it's the one that makes the biggest difference. Moisture on the skin steams instead of browns, so the drier it goes in, the crispier it comes out. Once it's dry, you lift the skin gently with your fingers and smooth the garlic-herb butter directly underneath, which is where the real flavor work happens.

As the chicken roasts, that butter melts slowly into the meat, basting it from the inside and keeping the breast juicy all the way through. Any remaining butter goes inside the cavity too, so every part of the bird picks up that herb and garlic flavor.

The outside rub — oil, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder goes on last and is what gives the skin that deeply golden color as it roasts.

If you want a built-in side dish, tuck potatoes, carrots, or onions around the bird and they'll roast right in the drippings while the chicken does its thing. Once it comes out of the oven, give it at least 10 minutes before you carve so the juices have time to settle back into the meat, then spoon those pan juices over the top before bringing it to the table.

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More easy meal ideas for you:

• ​Chicken Lollipop Drumsticks​
• ​Baked Tortellini with Meat Sauce​
• ​Spice Rubbed Chicken Wings​
• ​Greek Meatballs​
• ​Lemon Chicken Rice​