Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken packed with unbelievable flavours, crispy skin, and so juicy!
Nothing beats an easy to make and even easier to prepare homemade oven roasted chicken! Especially when roasted with garlic butter, rosemary, parsley, lemon, and a hint of white wine. This garlic herb butter roast chicken definitely beats the pants off of any store-bought rotisserie chicken!
THE BEST ROAST CHICKEN
Juicy on the inside, crispy skin on the outside with full-flavoured liquid gold pan juices. When we roast chicken, we don’t do it with just a sprinkling of salt. No, no, no…we do it with FLAVOUR. To get the most out of our roast chicken, we not only lather garlic butter and herbs onto our chicken, but underneath the skin. This ensures that every bite of roast chicken carries a generous mouthful of flavour!
If you’re not looking for a lavish roast like our pork roast with crackle or our roast beef tenderloin, this garlic butter roast chicken is the way to go! The best part? It’s extremely easy to prepare.
WHAT YOU NEED
Easy to find ingredients you likely already have in your fridge or pantry.
- Garlic + Butter = Garlic Butter
- Olive oil
- A touch of lemon
- A hint of dry white wine (optional, but adds so much flavour to the meat while keeping it juicy)
- Rosemary
- Parsley
Not only is this roast chicken loaded with flavour… it boasts crispy skin and juicy meat which pairs perfectly with any one of our delicious sides including our creamy mashed potatoes, honey garlic butter roasted carrots or our grilled asparagus.
HOW TO ROAST A CHICKEN
Preheat oven.
Rinse and pat dry chicken with paper towel.
Combine olive oil, melted butter, wine (if using) and lemon juice together, rubbing all over the chicken, under the skin and inside the cavity.
Season chicken outside and inside with salt, pepper and parsley. Don’t be afraid to use generous amounts!
Rub the minced garlic over the chicken and under the skin. I do this separately as the last step to maximise the garlic taste.
Stuff the garlic head into the chicken cavity along with the rosemary sprigs and the squeezed lemon halve. You can also use sprigs of thyme or any other herb.
Roast chicken, basting half way through cooking time, until cooked through.
Broil until golden and crispy!
I like to go in the carcass, over the chicken and under the skin with all of my ingredients to ensure maximum flavour. You want every inch covered in garlic herb butter.
HOW LONG TO COOK ROAST CHICKEN
Over one hour, depending on the size of your bird. This 4lb (2kg) bird took one hour and 20 minutes cooking time, then a resting time of 10 minutes to retain all of those juices before slicing.
Usually I’ll pass on chicken breasts because juicy, crispy chicken legs are my favourite, but with this roast chicken recipe, I eat it ALL. The breasts come out so moist. There will be absolutely NO sign of dry meat on your plate.
Do you see that crispy skin? That’s the part we fight over at the dinner table. PLEASE tell me we are normal and your family fights over crispy skin too?
SOOOO soft and juicy inside!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH ROAST CHICKEN
- Mashed potatoes. Hands down, I am a full blown mashed potato and roast chicken person. Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes OR Easy Creamy Mashed Potatoes.
- Sweet Potato wedges or Potato wedges
- Roast Green Beans
- Avocado Corn Tomato Salad
- Roast Carrots
- Smashed Potatoes OR Smashed Sweet Potatoes
- Roast Asparagus
- Mediteranean Pasta Salad
- Balsamic Chickpea Avocado Feta Salad
- Honey Dijon Apple Salad
Pretty much anything! Add a good glass of wine. My favourite at the moment is a Chardonnay/Moscato mix.
Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 pound whole chicken at room temperature giblets and neck removed from cavity
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine optional - use a dry wine like a Sauv blanc or Chardonnay
- 1 lemon halved
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 head garlic head of garlic roughly peeled and cut in half horizontally through the middle, crosswise
- 3 fresh rosemary whole sprigs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 430°F | 220°C (400°F or 200°C fan forced). Line a baking tray with foil, or lightly grease a roasting pan.
- Discard neck from inside the cavity and remove any excess fat and leftover feathers. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Pour the olive oil, melted butter, wine (if using) and the juice of half a lemon over the chicken, under the skin and inside the cavity. Season chicken liberally on the outside and inside the cavity with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the parsley.
- Rub the minced garlic over the chicken, mixing all ingredients together over the chicken and under the skin.
- Stuff the garlic head into the chicken cavity along with the rosemary sprigs and the squeezed lemon halve. Tie legs together with kitchen string.
- Place breast-side up into baking tray or roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes, basting half way through cooking time, until juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer.
- Baste again, then broil for a further 2-3 minutes, until golden.
- Remove from the oven, cover with foil and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve, drizzled with pan juices and remaining lemon half cut into wedges or slices.
NG says
Hi! This recipe is amazing and I’m planning to make it again this Thanksgiving. But, this year, we have more guests and I need to roast two chicken. Can you please advise if the oven temperature needs to be adjusted in any way?
Karina Carrel says
Hi NG,
Glad to hear its a great hit for you and your family and friends.
When roasting two chickens instead of one, you typically do not need to adjust the slow cooker temperature or the oven temperature. Keep the slow cooker on HIGH for approximately 4 hours or LOW for about 8 hours, as per your recipe.
However, here are some key considerations:
Slow Cooker Capacity: Ensure that both chickens can fit comfortably in the slow cooker without being cramped, as that can affect cooking times. If the slow cooker is too full, it may take longer for the chickens to cook properly.
Cooking Time: If the chickens are larger or crowded, you might need to increase the cooking time slightly. It’s best to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, ensuring it reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the breast or thigh.
Broiling Step: Once transferred to the oven, the broiling temperature remains the same (around 420°F or 220°C). If using two trays, check that the skin crisps evenly. You may need to adjust cooking time, as two chickens could take additional time to reach the desired golden brown color.
Resting: Allow both chickens to rest after roasting to keep them juicy.
By keeping these factors in mind, you can successfully roast two chickens alongside your slow-cooked turkey. Enjoy your Thanksgiving feast!
Payton says
Can you make this in the air fryer?
Tom Mozgala says
Hi Payton,
I just spoke to Karina, and good news: the answer is YES! You can make Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken in an air fryer! She has advised to follow the steps below
Air Fryer Instructions:
Preparation:
Make sure your whole chicken fits in your air fryer. If necessary, you can use a smaller chicken or cut the chicken into parts.
Remove giblets and neck from the cavity, and pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
Seasoning:
In a bowl, mix the melted butter, olive oil, wine (if using), and juice of half a lemon. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Rub this mixture over the chicken, under the skin, and inside the cavity.
Add minced garlic and chopped parsley over the chicken and mix well.
Stuffing:
Stuff the cavity with the halved head of garlic, rosemary sprigs, and the squeezed lemon half.
Tie the legs together with kitchen string if desired.
Cooking:
Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (193°C).
Place the chicken breast-side down in the air fryer basket. Cook for about 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, carefully turn the chicken breast-side up and cook for an additional 30-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C) and the juices run clear when pierced.
Basting:
If you wish, baste the chicken with its own juices halfway through the second cooking phase to enhance flavor and moisture.
Resting:
Once done, remove the chicken from the air fryer, cover with foil, and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Tips:
Cooking times may vary based on the size of the chicken and the air fryer model, so keep an eye on it.
An instant-read thermometer is helpful to ensure the chicken is fully cooked.
Enjoy your air-fried Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken!
Miranda says
I have made this twice now , but today I am out of lemons and only have oranges. I wonder if anyone else has attempted that. Fantastic recipe! Thanks!