Description
A flavorful Garlic Herb Butter Roasted Chicken recipe featuring a whole chicken rubbed with a mixture of melted butter, olive oil, fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon, then roasted to juicy, tender perfection with aromatic stuffing for an irresistible main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Butter Mixture
- 4-5 pound whole chicken (room temperature with giblets and neck removed)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon (zested and juiced)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
Herb Butter Rub
- 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
- 1 lemon (quartered)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit to get it ready for roasting the chicken evenly and to create a crispy skin.
- Prepare Roasting Pan: Lightly grease a roasting pan with olive oil and set aside to prevent sticking and to help the chicken roast properly.
- Clean and Dry Chicken: Rinse the chicken under cold running water, then pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Remove any excess fat or leftover feathers from the chicken to ensure cleanliness and better roasting.
- Apply Butter Mixture: In a small bowl, mix olive oil, melted butter, and lemon juice. Place the chicken on a cutting board or in the roasting pan and pour this butter mixture all over the chicken, making sure to work it under the skin and inside the cavity for maximum flavor.
- Season Chicken: Season the entire chicken liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper, inside and out. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley evenly on top for added aroma and color.
- Prepare Herb Butter Rub: In a medium bowl, combine softened butter with chopped rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, minced garlic, and paprika if using. Mix these ingredients well to create a fragrant herb butter.
- Rub Herb Butter: Rub the herb butter mixture all over the chicken, ensuring to get some under the skin to infuse the meat with herbaceous flavor as it cooks.
- Stuff Chicken: Stuff the chicken cavity with halved garlic head, tied rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and quartered lemon. This aromatic stuffing will help keep the chicken moist and flavorful from the inside out. Tie the legs together securely with kitchen string to hold the stuffing in place.
- Roast Chicken: Place the prepared chicken in the greased roasting pan and roast in the preheated oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 80 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the skin is golden brown.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes to let the juices redistribute before carving and serving.
Notes
- For extra crispy skin, pat the chicken completely dry before applying the butter mixture.
- If fresh herbs aren't available, dried rosemary and thyme can be used but reduce quantity to half for best flavor.
- Using a meat thermometer ensures the chicken is perfectly cooked without drying out.
- Letting the chicken rest after roasting helps maintain juiciness.
- The optional paprika adds a richer, darker color but can be omitted if preferred.
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
