Skillet Whole Roasted Ranch Chicken

Skillet Whole Roasted Ranch Chicken is a delicious and easy, one-pan meal to make any night of the week! Whole roasted chicken gets marinated in a creamy homemade ranch dressing. Cooked until golden brown and served with carrots and potatoes for the ultimate comfort meal! 

Winner, winner chicken dinner! 

If you were to walk into our house on Sunday and open the oven, you would find a chicken roasting. The simplicity of roasting a chicken is not only satisfying, but there’s so many ways to enjoy it from the protein itself to making homemade chicken stock. 

I’ve made a few skillet chicken dinners over the years. A few of my favs: Strawberry-Jalapeno Skillet Chicken, One-Skillet Mexican Chicken, 15-Minute Skillet Fried Chicken, and now this Skillet Whole Roasted Ranch Chicken. 

What’s great about this Skillet Whole Roasted Ranch Chicken is you can prep it the night before thanks to the homemade ranch dressing. Simply whip up the dressing, coat the chicken, let it marinate overnight and roast the next day. 

Ready to see how this whole roasted chicken can make your dinner situation an 11/10? Let’s dive in! 

Ingredients used to make this Skillet Whole Roasted Ranch Chicken 

You will need the following ingredients from your pantry to make this delicious skillet dish:

• Buttermilk 
• Mayonnaise
• Sour cream
• Chives
• Parsley 
• Dill
• Lemon juice
• Celery salt
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Whole chicken
• Carrots
• Yellow onion
• Gold potatoes 

How to Make this Skillet Whole Roasted Ranch Chicken 

I love making skillet chicken on Sunday’s. It’s an easy dish to prepare and makes incredible leftovers to enjoy all week. Check out the following steps to make this dish: 

1. In a mixing bowl combine buttermilk, mayo, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, lemon juice, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Reserve a ⅓ cup for dipping later. 
2. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and pat it dry. Take the ranch dressing and rub it all over the chicken. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight for best results. 
3. Next, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 10-inch skillet with cooking spray. Add in the potatoes, carrots, and onions. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and roast for 15 minutes in the oven. After 15 minutes, place a piece of foil on top of the chicken. Continue cooking until an internal thermometer reaches 165 degrees, which is about 1 ½ hours. 
4. Once cooked, remove chicken from the oven. Let cool before slicing and serving with ranch dressing. 

Variations for Skillet Whole Roasted Ranch Chicken 

Best part about making this skillet is all the variations. Here are few ideas to customize your chicken dinner making experience: 

Spicy Ranch Chicken: Add some heat to your ranch chicken by incorporating ingredients like cayenne pepper, chili powder, or red pepper flakes into the dressing. Adjust the amount according to your spice tolerance.

Citrus Ranch Chicken: Enhance the flavor with a burst of citrus by adding lemon or lime zest to the ranch dressing. You can also squeeze some fresh lemon or lime juice over the chicken before roasting for a tangy twist.

Honey Mustard Ranch Chicken: Combine ranch dressing with honey and Dijon mustard to create a sweet and tangy glaze for your chicken. Brush the mixture onto the chicken before roasting and baste it occasionally during cooking for extra flavor.

Garlic Parmesan Ranch Chicken: Mix ranch dressing with grated Parmesan cheese and minced garlic to create a savory coating for the chicken. The Parmesan will add a deliciously nutty flavor and crispy texture to the skin.

Herb-Roasted Ranch Chicken: Incorporate fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or sage into the ranch seasoning mix for an extra layer of fragrance and flavor. You can also stuff the chicken cavity with a bundle of fresh herbs before roasting to infuse it with herbal goodness.

Proper Storing 

Here are some guidelines on how to store this dish: 

• Refrigeration: If you have leftovers or you’re not planning to consume the chicken immediately, transfer it to an airtight container.
• Consumption Timeframe: Cooked chicken, including Skillet Whole Roasted Ranch Chicken, should be consumed within 3-4 days.
• Freezing: If you want to store the chicken for a longer period, you can freeze it. Place it in a freezer-safe container for up to  2-6 months.

Skillet Whole Roasted Ranch Chicken

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 5 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Skillet Whole Roasted Ranch Chicken is a delicious and easy, one-pan meal to make any night of the week! Whole roasted chicken gets marinated in a creamy homemade ranch dressing. Cooked until golden brown and served with carrots and potatoes for the ultimate comfort meal! 

• For the Ranch Dressing:
• 1/3 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup Sour cream
• 1/4 cup Buttermilk
• 1 tbsp chopped chives, dill, and parsley
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp Celery salt
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp Ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp Onion powder
• For the Whole Chicken:
• 1 4 to 5 lb Whole chicken
• 3 large Carrots, sliced into rounds
• 4 to 5 medium Gold potatoes, diced
• 1 large Yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

• In a mixing bowl combine buttermilk, mayo, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, lemon juice, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Reserve a ⅓ cup for dipping later.

• Place the chicken on a baking sheet and pat it dry. Take the ranch dressing and rub it all over the chicken. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight for best results. 

• Next, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 10-inch skillet with cooking spray. Add in the potatoes, carrots, and onions. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and roast for 15 minutes in the oven. After 15 minutes, place a piece of foil on top of the chicken. Continue cooking until an internal thermometer reaches 165 degrees, which is about 1 ½ hours. 

• Once cooked, remove chicken from the oven. Let cool before slicing and serving with ranch dressing. 

Author: Lauren Grier

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Please leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #thecuriousplate!