Description
Garlic Herb Butter Roasted Chicken is a flavorful and juicy main course featuring a whole chicken roasted to perfection with a fragrant blend of garlic, fresh herbs, lemon, and rich butter. This recipe results in tender, aromatic chicken with crispy skin, perfect for a comforting dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 4-5 pound whole chicken (room temperature with giblets and neck removed from the cavity)
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 lemon (zested and juiced)
- 1 lemon (quartered)
Butter and Herb Mixture
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon paprika (optional)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
Stuffing
- 1 head garlic (roughly peeled and cut in half horizontally)
- 6 sprigs fresh rosemary (tied together)
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for roasting the chicken.
- Prepare Roasting Pan: Lightly grease a roasting pan with olive oil and set it aside for the chicken.
- Clean Chicken: Rinse the chicken under cold running water and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Remove any excess fat and leftover feathers to ensure cleanliness and even cooking.
- Make Butter Mixture: In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, melted butter, and lemon juice together, stirring well.
- Coat Chicken With Butter Mixture: Place the chicken in the prepared roasting pan or on a cutting board. Pour the butter and oil mixture over the chicken, using your hands to rub it under the skin and inside the cavity for deep flavor penetration.
- Season Chicken: Season the chicken liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper on both inside and outside. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top for fragrance and color.
- Prepare Herb Butter: In a separate medium bowl, combine the softened butter with chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, minced garlic, and paprika if using. Stir thoroughly to create a flavorful herb butter.
- Apply Herb Butter: Rub this herb butter mixture all over the entire chicken, again getting some under the skin to maximize flavor.
- Stuff Chicken: Fill the chicken cavity with the halved head of garlic, tied rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and quartered lemon to infuse the meat with aromatic steam while roasting.
- Tie Legs: Secure the chicken legs together with kitchen string to ensure even roasting.
- Roast Chicken: Place the chicken in the preheated oven and roast for 80 minutes until the skin is golden and the internal temperature reaches a safe 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before carving to retain the juices.
Notes
- Using room temperature chicken ensures even cooking.
- Getting the butter mixture under the skin helps keep the meat moist and flavorful.
- Optional paprika adds a deeper color but can be omitted if preferred.
- Tying the legs helps the chicken cook evenly and retain its shape.
- Resting the chicken before carving is essential for juicy meat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 413 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 194 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 97 mg
