Two Whole Roasted Chickens (and Gravy)

Roasting two chickens at a time is brilliant because you have dinner for tonight and a second chicken that you can use to meal plan for the week.

We love whole chicken recipes from Instant Pot Whole Chicken to our popular Spatchcock Chicken. If you are a fan of rotisserie chicken with that crispy salty skin and juicy center, this recipe is a must-try!

Two whole roasted chickens in a roasting pan

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Whole Roasted Chickens Recipe

We often buy the 2 whole organic chickens at Costco and roast them together. It doesn’t take much more effort or time for double roasted Chickens. P.S. Keep this in mind also for the holidays because Roasted Chickens look glorious on a Thanksgiving table.

Be sure to save those pan drippings for making the best chicken gravy. It’s the same concept we use for making turkey gravy and you’ll be amazed how easy it is to make a super flavorful pan dripping gravy.

When Buying Chickens: select ones that are fairly equal in size for even cooking so they are done at the same time. If you only have one in-oven temperature probe, put it into the larger chicken to ensure they are both fully cooked through to a safe temperature.

Ingredients for stuffing and seasoning whole roasted chicken

How to Roast 2 Whole Chickens

Preheat oven to 425˚F with rack in the lower third of the oven.
Slice onion – Line a large roasting pan with onion slices and drizzle with olive oil.
Prep Chickens – Remove giblets from chickens and pat dry inside and outside with paper towels. Season inside each chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper then stuff with 2 lemon quarters, 1/2 garlic head, and 2 sprigs of rosemary. Set chickens over onions, breast-side-up.
Secure Chickens – Tie legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wings under the chicken so they don’t scorch.
Brush with butter – melt butter and season each chicken generously with 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Roast according to the time chart below.

Pro Seasoning Tip: Butter chickens one at a time and season immediately after adding melted butter. The seasonings will stick better before the butter firms up on the cold chicken.

How to stuff, season and roast a whole chicken

Juicy Chicken Tip: Once the chicken is out of the oven, let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing into it. This allows the chicken to relax and re-absorb some juices.

Whole roast chickens resting on a platter

How Long to Roast 2 Whole Chickens?

You should always check your chickens for doneness with a thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the thigh and make sure it reaches at least 165˚F and you should see the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh. To be extra safe, we let the chicken go 5 degrees higher. Use this chart to estimate roasting times when baking two chickens at 425˚F:

2 Chickens (4 lbs each): Bake 1 hour 15 min to 1 hr 30 min
2 Chickens (4.5 lbs each): Bake 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 45 min
2 Chickens (5 lbs each): Bake 1 hr 45 min to 2 hrs

Roasted chicken baked to the perfect temperature

How to Make Pan Dripping Gravy:

Just like with our Turkey Gravy, making a Chicken Gravy from pan drippings is so easy and will create the most flavorful gravy that is better than any powdered or pre-made gravy mix. We had just a little over 1 cup of pan drippings (after fat was removed), but the amount can vary..

Strain pan drippings through a fine sieve, discarding solids.
Spoon off 4 Tbsp fat and add that to a small saucepan. Skim off and discard any remaining oil.
Make a Roux – Place the saucepan over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp flour and whisk for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden.
Add drippings – Add 1 cup of pan drippings and whisk until thickened and bubbling. Add about 1/2 cup water or milk, or to reach desired taste and consistency. Bring back to a simmer and remove from heat.

Step by step how to make chicken gravy from pan drippings

Common Questions:

How do I roast 1 chicken?

If you are looking to roast a single chicken, check out our Juicy Roast Chicken and Vegetables recipe for timing. A single chicken will roast a little faster than two.

What can I use the carcass or bones for?

Keep the chicken bones and carcass to make a rich and flavorful chicken bone broth.

Do I need a rack for roasting chicken?

Lining the pan with slices of onions serves as a ‘rack’ for the chicken while adding great flavor to the drippings for gravy.

What kind of roasting pan should I use?

Use a roasting pan that is large enough for 2 chickens to fit without being squished together. We use this Cuisinart large roasting pan.

Serve With

We love to serve this as a main course with simple fresh salads and vegetable sides:

Chicken drumstick served from whole roasted chicken

Make-Ahead

You can completely assemble your whole chickens: stuff, butter, and season your chickens then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

Use Leftover Chicken for:

Roast 2 chickens at the same time to save time, money on your energy bill and dishes. You can also use leftover chicken to make these tasty chicken dinners for the week (and none of these dishes will taste like leftovers).

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.