My Grapefruit Chicken is a deliciously dependable dish you will no doubt want to make again and again. It’s one of my favorite whole roasted chicken recipes, because it is fall-off-the-bone delicious. When my kids were growing up, if you showed up at my house on a Monday night, you’d see us devouring Grapefruit Chicken with roasted vegetables. You’ll find it in the Family Recipes section of my No Crumbs Left Cookbook, and it is certainly one of the many reasons to get the book.

Juicy roasted chicken with crispy skin served with roasted root vegetables on a wooden board.

This whole roasted chicken is perfect for family dinners

I love the idea of gathering around the dinner table with family. When my kids were little, we developed a dinner rhythm with roast chicken on Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, and takeout chips and refried beans on Wednesdays for our taco leftovers. On Thursdays I’d make a meatloaf, stuffed peppers, or chicken fingers, all of which my kids enjoyed.

Juicy whole raw chicken with herbs, spices, and citrus on parchment for roasted or baked chicken recipe.
Sea salt, paprika, ground turmeric, and dried herbs in a ceramic dish on rustic wooden background.
Whole raw chicken seasoned with salt and spices, ready for cooking.

Whether you’re making this whole roasted chicken to serve for Monday night dinner or simply using it for meal prep, it’s fantastic. I suggest making two if you have room in the oven, because you will use it the next day in one of my other recipes, like my Chicken Caesar Sandwich or one of our viral wraps. And if you’re looking to create lifelong memories for your family, I can’t recommend this recipe enough. For leftovers, this chicken is ideal, because the possibilities are endless.

Freshly prepared vegetables and herbs for a healthy meal with sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, olive oil, and seasonings.
Fresh sliced potatoes and carrots prepared for roasting or cooking, seasoned with spices, on a rustic wooden surface.
Roasted root vegetables including sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic, and red potatoes in a rustic ceramic bowl.

The secret to this delectable chicken infusing it with flavor at every step

We use a spice blend with marjoram and plenty of salt, and sprinkle it all over the chicken. The marinade includes freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, and after squeezing, I pop the grapefruit itself into the chicken cavity to add even more depth of flavor. By the way, you can certainly use an orange instead. We have so many wonderful chicken recipes that stem from this original, like my Hot Clementine Sumac Roast Chicken, and quite frankly, they’re equally delicious.

Fresh seasoned roasting chicken with potatoes, carrots, and garlic on baking sheet.
olive oil and grapefruit juice in small bowls next to silver spoon on wood board
Bright orange homemade chicken broth in a glass bowl with a silver spoon, served on rustic wood table.
Roasted chicken with vegetables on baking sheet for delicious home-cooked meal.

Heroine Chicken is another favorite of ours when you’re looking for a sumptuous whole roasted chicken recipe that is utterly dependable. And whichever chicken recipe you choose, make sure to save all the bones! You’ll need them when you make my bone broth, a fantastic and healthful drink to energize you before school or work.

Succulent roasted chicken drumsticks with seasoned vegetables and crispy potatoes on a rustic wooden tray.

If you make my Whole30 Roasted Grapefruit Chicken, please rate and review it below to let me know what you think! And if you’re looking for more fun, sign up for our Friday Favorites newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok!

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Sumac Spicy Roast Chicken

Whole30 Roasted Grapefruit Chicken

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 8 reviews
  • Author: nocrumbsleft
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 20 min
  • Total Time: 1 hr 30 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
Print Recipe

Description

One of my favorite recipes from my cookbook.

Ingredients

  •   2 Tbsp salt, divided
  •   1 ½ tsp pepper, divided
  •   1 tsp granulated garlic
  •   1 tsp marjoram
  •   1 tsp paprika
  •   ¼ tsp cayenne
  •   ¾ cup juice from fresh grapefruit (save the juiced grapefruit)
  •   4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil, divided
  •   1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)
  •   3 large carrots (halved lengthwise and cut into thirds)
  •   3 cups quartered red potatoes
  •   1 yellow onion, cut into wedges (about ½ cup)
  •   5 cloves garlic

Instructions

In a small bowl, stir together 1½ tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, granulated garlic, marjoram, paprika, and cayenne and stir until combined. In another small bowl, stir together the grapefruit juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Place the chicken, breast side up on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle the spice blend on both sides of the chicken and rub it all in well so that the chicken is coated with spices and oil. Cover the chicken and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

When ready to cook the chicken, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the chicken on it.

In a medium bowl, add the carrots, potatoes, onions and garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, toss to coat. Distribute them evenly around the chicken on the baking sheet. Fold a juiced ½ grapefruit and stuff into the opening of the chicken.

Cook the chicken for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and baste and with the olive oil and grapefruit juice mixture. Then continue cooking, basting every 15 minutes.  Cooking time is about 20 minutes a pound, so a 4 pound chicken should take about an hour and 20 minutes.  If chicken starts to get too brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil.

When the chicken is done roasting, remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.

Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Something important to know is that whenever you are roasting a chicken, place the breast side up (spine side down), no need to flip it in in the middle of cooking, unless a recipe you are using says other wise.

This recipe works great with different kinds of citrus.  You can try tangerines, blood oranges, or Satsuma or your favorite citrus fruit.  Just use the same amount of juice that the recipe calls for and save half of the juiced fruit to stuff in the chicken.