Garlic Herb Butter Roasted Chicken Recipe
A flavorful and aromatic Garlic Herb Butter Roasted Chicken featuring a crisp, golden skin infused with fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon. This easy-to-follow recipe yields a juicy, tender whole chicken perfect for a comforting family meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4–5 pound whole chicken (room temperature, 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 Mixture
- 4 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (optional, for deeper color)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
Stuffing and Aromatics
- 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: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat a roasting pan with olive oil and set it aside to prepare your cooking space.
- Clean: Rinse the whole chicken under cold running water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Remove any excess fat or leftover feathers to ensure a clean surface for seasoning.
- Rub Butter Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, olive oil, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Pour this mixture over the chicken and carefully rub it under the skin and inside the cavity to infuse flavor throughout.
- Season: Generously season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley evenly over the chicken for added freshness and aroma.
- Prepare Herb Butter: In a medium mixing bowl, combine room temperature butter with chopped rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, minced garlic, and optional smoked paprika. Stir well to blend all the fragrant herbs and spices together.
- Apply Herb Butter: Rub this herb butter mixture all over the chicken’s exterior and under the skin, ensuring every part is covered to maximize flavor and moisture.
- Stuff Chicken: Stuff the chicken cavity with the halved garlic head, tied rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and quartered lemon. Tie the chicken legs securely together with kitchen string to maintain shape while roasting.
- Roast: Place the chicken breast-side up in the prepared roasting pan. Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15-25 minutes, basting halfway through. Roast until the juices run clear when pierced with a skewer and a meat thermometer registers 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
- Baste and Broil: After roasting, baste the chicken again with the pan juices. Turn the oven broiler on and broil the chicken for 2-3 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crispy. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Rest: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute within the meat, resulting in a juicier roast.
- Drizzle Pan Juices: Use the flavorful pan juices to drizzle generously over the chicken before serving to enhance moistness and taste.
- Serve: Serve the roasted chicken with fresh lemon wedges on the side for an extra zesty touch. Enjoy your savory and aromatic herb butter roasted chicken!
Notes
- Allow the chicken to come to room temperature before roasting for even cooking.
- Tying the legs helps the chicken cook evenly and keeps the stuffing inside.
- If desired, smoked paprika adds a richer color but can be omitted without affecting taste.
- Basting halfway through cooking keeps the chicken moist and flavorful.
- Resting the chicken before carving is essential to retain juices and tenderness.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure safe cooking temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
Keywords: garlic roasted chicken, herb butter chicken, roasted whole chicken, lemon herb chicken, easy chicken roast
