Last Updated on March 7, 2026 by Deliciously Organic Editor
There’s nothing more simple than a Cast Iron Roast Chicken! The meal is good for any night of the week and is very easy to make.
Chicken and potatoes are a huge favorite, so I often make this with potatoes and then serve the dish with a salad or other vegetable on the side. If you’d like, you can substitute the potatoes for other vegetables, such as onions, root vegetables, broccoli, etc.
I recommend using a saturated fat that can withstand higher temperatures, such as ghee, lard, tallow, or duck fat. While fats such as butter and avocado oil are popular for cooking, I don’t recommend using them at high heats because they can oxidize and create free radicals that are harmful for the cells of the body.
And, if you’d like to take the flavors up a notch, you can swap out the sea salt and pepper for Herbamare or an organic cajun seasoning blend. Enjoy!
PrintCast Iron Roast Chicken with Potatoes (Gluten-Free)
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-5
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF and adjust the rack to the middle position. Place the chicken in a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Using a pastry brush, brush about 1 tablespoon of the ghee over the chicken.
- Place the potatoes in a large bowl and toss with the remaining ghee and then place the potatoes in the skillet around the chicken. Season everything with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast for 45 minutes, until skin on chicken is golden brown and when a meat thermometer is inserted into the chicken it registers 165ºF.
- Carefully, transfer the chicken to a cutting board, and then put the skillet with the potatoes back in the oven. Tent the chicken with foil and let it rest for 20 minutes, while the potatoes continue to roast. After 20 minutes, remove the potatoes, carve the chicken and serve.
Photo Credit: Becky Winkler
Carrie, I thought it was true the avocado was safe for temperatures up to 500°? Can you verify this? Or explain why if it’s true it’s not a good fit for this recipe? For a family our size, it is too expensive to buy tallow, lard, and duck fat that is holistically produced. Therefore I use a lot of avocado oil, and have gotten multiple friends and family to switch over to using it. I also buy grass fed butter. I value your opinion !!!!
Avocado oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids, very similar in fatty acid profile to olive oil. It can be used for low-heat cooking, but it’s not a good option for high heats like for roasting or frying because it will oxidize resulting in free radical production. Free radicals damage the cells of the body, so it’s best to stay away from them. This is why I always recommend only cooking at high heats with stable saturated fats such as ghee, lard, tallow, etc.
I’m honestly surprised that raw organic avocado oil is cheaper than lard or ghee where you live. Kinda crazy how the prices can fluctuate so much based on where you live! One of my favorite “hacks” is to purchase pastured bacon straight from the farm and then collect the lard after cooking. I can’t tell you how many mason jars I’ve filled with lard to use for later cooking! 🙂
Thank you so much Carrie for answering, I did not understand that!!! Wow, so good to know.
Wow, Carrie! I’ve often saved the “grease” after I’ve fried bacon, but never referred or thought of it as “lard”. I feel newly educated. 🙂
My questions on this… can you continue to add the lard to the same jar, over and over again, or should each batch be saved into separate containers for shelf-life purposes. Also, how long will the last? Lastly… refrigerate or not refrigerate? It’s just my husband and I, so not sure how quickly I’d use it up.
Thanks so much!
On a side note, I was going to ask the same question that Lea did about the avocado oil. I’ve been using it for roasting veggies instead of olive oil because the bottle states “good for high heat”. Jeez… it can really get confusing, can’t it? Thanks for the clarification !
I was going to ask the EXACT same question as Lea! I can buy a big jug of Chosen Foods Avocado oil at Costco here, and yes, it is cheaper than ghee or Lard, etc. The Avocado oil I buy says on the label “High Heat 500 degrees”.
I have always refrigerated my leftover bacon grease. I add to the same jar until full, but I use a jar smaller than a mason jar and if too long before the next batch of bacon/grease I would probably start a new jar. I use it for frying eggs, potatoes, etc. so I use it fairly rapidly, but it takes a few months.
When you save the bacon fat do you freeze it if you can’t use it all quickly?
I recommend storing it in the fridge.
Love the idea of using duck fat for this! Those potatoes are so pretty. ?
What size chicken do you typically use? 45 mi it’s seems like a very short period of time.
I agree! I always do a 4lb and it takes almost 1.5 hours. I’m confused on the cook time for this recipe…
I made this last night and it was PERFECT. I used Brussel sprouts and carrots instead of potatoes and it was all done in 45 min. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it!!