Roast chicken is one of those dinners that keeps on giving. Enjoy it as an impressive meal the first night, then turn the leftovers into chicken salad for lunch and use the bones to make stock for soups and sauces.
As much as I love pulling a stunning roast chicken out of the oven, I don’t always have time for that on a Tuesday. But what if there was a faster (and dare I say better?) way to make an equally delicious, golden roast? Next time you’re craving the homely flavours of roast chicken, reach for your mini oven.
When testing mini ovens, we roast a whole chicken to see how evenly each oven cooks, how well it browns the skin and whether it keeps the breast meat juicy. After testing, I’m convinced a great mini oven beats a standard oven for roasting a whole chicken. Here’s why – and how to do it.
Why a mini oven works
Mini ovens work on the same basic principle as full-size convection ovens. Most have a heating element at the top or bottom of the cooking cavity and a fan, usually at the back, that circulates hot air.
The biggest difference is size. Because mini ovens have a smaller capacity, they heat up and cook faster than full-size ovens. Still, most mini ovens on the market today – including our winning Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 Multifunction Oven – are large enough to fit a whole 1.8kg roasting chicken.
The powerful fan maintains a stable temperature in the small cooking space and circulates heat evenly, creating crisp, golden skin without drying out the meat. If you have to open the door early to check it’s done, the mini oven will return to its target temperature faster than a larger oven.
How to roast chicken in a mini oven
- Heat the oven to 200°C.
- Meanwhile, pat the bird dry with kitchen paper and season it inside and out. A simple sprinkle of salt and pepper is enough, but feel free to stuff the cavity with half a lemon, herbs, or add your favourite spices, such as paprika, or flavoured butter.
- Place the prepared chicken on a mini oven baking tray and roast for 40 to 50 minutes, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 71°C. Chicken is safe to eat at 74°C, but the meat will continue to rise in temperature while it rests.
- Carefully remove the tray from the oven, transfer the chicken to a chopping board, cover it with foil and let it rest for five to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
The verdict
The mini oven method for roasting chicken is faster and produces meat that’s just as juicy and delicious. Plus, a smaller baking tray is easier to clean, and many are dishwasher-safe. Using your mini oven makes roast chicken a realistic weeknight option.
Lizzy Briskin (she/her) is a contributing analyst and writer in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab. She tests kitchen appliances and gear for the GH Institute and writes about food and cooking. She is a food and lifestyle writer and recipe developer who has served as food editor at Real Simple, Food Network, and Pioneer Woman. Her writing and recipes have appeared in outlets including National Geographic, Bon Appétit, Women's Health, Better Homes and Gardens, and The Bump. She has a culinary degree from Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and a BA in English from Amherst College.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
