Everything about a golden-brown, whole roast chicken for dinner spells comfort. Even the royals agree. When Britain’s Prince Harry decided to propose to actress Meghan Markle over a cozy meal in his bachelor pad, not only did he have a custom-made diamond ring to impress her, but he also made sure there was a perfect roast chicken for dinner! The rest, as they say, is history. So, perhaps we all need a roast chicken recipe added to our repertoire. It can be a lovely table centerpiece for the Christmas holiday menu. And if you are feeling adventurous during Thanksgiving, you can skip the traditional turkey and go for a buttery herbed roast chicken instead. So, let’s get straight to it.
How To Roast Chicken?
You need only 4 ingredients for a simple roast chicken recipe – a whole fryer chicken, olive oil or butter, salt, and pepper. However, to make it more flavorful, seasonings, fresh herbs, and stuffing can be added. Make sure the chicken is completely thawed before you cook and the oven is nice and hot. These are the two critical factors to make a juicy whole chicken.
Also, once you have cooked the chicken, it is best to eat it immediately once it is out of the oven and rested for 20 minutes. You can carve the chicken legs and the breast meat, and you have a delicious dinner ready!
A perfectly roasted chicken is a lovely table centerpiece for the Christmas holiday menu. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Roast Chicken Recipe
Here is a simple method to make delicious chicken for Christmas dinner or just to make regular weeknight dinners special!
Perfect Roast Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb whole chicken
- 4-5 rosemary or thyme sprigs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup dry white wine
- salt and pepper to taste
Herb Butter
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp sage finely chopped
- 1 tbsp parsley finely chopped
- 2 tbsp rosemary or thyme finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 onion quartered
- 1 bulb garlic halved
Gravy
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup chicken broth low sodium
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- To make the herb butter, add the herbs and seasonings to the softened butter and mix well.
- Remove the chicken giblets and rinse the chicken well, inside and out. Place the chicken in the roasting pan and pat it dry.
- With a dessert spoon, loosen the skin and start spreading half the herb butter under the skin on the chicken breasts and drumsticks. Then, hold the chicken upright and put herb butter on the rest of the chicken. Finally, use all the herb butter to brush it evenly all over the chicken skin. This will ensure a lovely golden color.
- Cut the lemon into half and squeeze the juice all over the chicken. Place the squeezed lemon wedges in the inner cavity, along with the rosemary sprigs. If you don't have rosemary, you can use thyme sprigs instead.
- Tie the chicken legs with a piece of string and tuck the wing tips under the chicken to prevent it from burning.
- Place the quartered onion and halved garlic on the roasting pan and place the chicken firmly on them, breast side up.
- You can now add the dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth to the bottom of the pan.
- Roast the chicken for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the chicken juices between the leg and thigh run clear. You can baste the chicken twice, once at 30 minutes and then, after an hour, by spooning the pan liquid over the skin.
- You can use the meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is completely cooked. It should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees where the leg meets the body of the chicken.
- Remove the chicken and place it on a serving platter. Let it rest for 20 minutes before serving it.
- For the gravy, collect the pan liquid. You should have two cups of liquid. If it is less than that, use the low-sodium chicken broth. Discard the onions and keep the garlic. You can remove the garlic flesh for the gravy.
- Melt butter over medium heat. Now, add flour and stir continuously. Add half the liquid while whisking. The gravy should be silky smooth and without any lumps. Once the gravy thickens, season it with salt and pepper.
- The roast chicken with gravy is ready!
Roast chicken goes well with gravy and mashed potatoes. You can experiment with several side dishes such as roasted vegetables or sweet potatoes fries. Leftovers are great to use for burritos and sandwiches. It’s a recipe that can make all the members of your family happy!
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