Crispy Roast Chicken Recipe

Image of the garlic roast chicken being taken out of the oven and sliced to reveal its tenderness and juiciness.

4.94 from 174 votes

Crispy Roast Chicken Recipe

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 roast chook! Especially when roasted with garlic butter, rosemary, parsley, lemon, and a hint of white wine. Beats any rotisserie chicken!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 25

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Dinner, Garlic Herb Butter, Roast, Roast Chicken

Servings: people

Author: Karina Carrel

Ingredients

4 pound whole chicken at room temperature giblets and neck removed from cavity
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 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

Optional Homemade Gravy

2 tbsp chicken fat scooped from the pan drippings
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Remaining pan juices from the roasting pan
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

US - Metric

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.

Optional Gravy:

Carefully pour all the liquid and juices from the roasting pan into a heatproof jug or fat separator. Let it sit for a minute so the fat rises to the top.
Scoop exactly 2 tablespoons of the clear fat from the top of the jug and place it into a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute until it forms a smooth paste.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Add in the rest of the dark pan juices left in your jug.
Let the gravy simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot over the sliced chicken!

Gravy Fix: If you don't have enough fat from the chicken drippings to make 2 tablespoons, just make up the difference with a little melted butter. If your gravy gets too thick, whisk in a splash more broth or water until it reaches your desired consistency.

Video

Notes

Storage, Leftovers & Homemade Bone Broth

If I have leftovers, I always take the meat off the bone before storing it. It is incredibly useful to have on hand for quick lunches, sandwiches, or salads the next day.

How to Store: I keep the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
How to Freeze: If you want to keep it longer, this meat freezes very well. I place the shredded or sliced chicken in a freezer-safe bag, press out all the air, and store it in the freezer for up to three months. Just let it thaw in the fridge overnight before you use it.

How to Reheat (Without Drying it Out) Reheating chicken can easily dry it out, so I recommend doing it gently. Here is how I handle leftovers:

In the oven: Place the chicken in a baking dish, add a splash of chicken broth or leftover pan juices to the bottom, cover it tightly with foil, and warm it at 325°F (160°C) until heated through.
On the stove: Toss the meat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a little olive oil just until warm.

Make-Ahead Prep If you want to get a head start on dinner, you can absolutely do some make-ahead prep. I often mix the garlic herb butter a few days in advance and keep it in the fridge. You can even rub the entire raw chicken with the butter mixture the morning of, cover it, and leave it in the fridge until roasting time. Just remember to let the prepped bird sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before it goes into the oven to take the chill off the meat.

Happy cooking! Xx

Zero-Waste Bone Broth: Do not throw away the bones! I always save the leftover carcass to make a rich homemade chicken stock. Even if you do not have time to make it right away, you can toss the bones in a zip-top bag and keep them in the freezer until you are ready to boil them down with some onions, carrots, and celery.

Nutrition