Garlic Butter Roast Chicken is a delightful and succulent meal where fragrant herbs and garlic butter combine to infuse the whole chicken, making it juicy and beautifully crisp. The combination of flavors and textures makes it a favorite for special occasions and family gatherings.

Garlic Butter Roast Chicken Recipe

Garlic Butter Roast Chicken is a mouthwatering culinary masterpiece where a whole chicken is generously coated with a luscious blend of butter, minced garlic, fragrant herbs, and lemon zest, which adds a zesty, citrusy touch that balances the richness of the butter. This aromatic concoction not only infuses the chicken with a rich and savory flavor but also helps create a beautifully crispy skin. As it roasts, the garlic butter mixture seeps into the meat, resulting in tender and succulent chicken.

Ingredients for Garlic Butter Roast Chicken

Chicken: Use a whole chicken between 4-5 pounds (1814-2268 g) or another type of bird.
Herbs: Fresh rosemary, and thyme. Infuse meat with herbal aromas and enhance its overall taste.
Salt: Is a fundamental seasoning that enhances the natural flavors of the chicken and herbs.
Peppercorns: (or Black Pepper) Adds a mild, complementary heat to the meat.
Dry Rub: A blend of spices. Italian seasoning to create a bold, earthy, and savory taste.
Olive Oil: Used to coat the chicken, it also helps to crisp up the skin, giving it a delightful texture.
Butter: Softened and mixed with herbs and garlic, forms garlic herb butter.
Garlic Cloves: Minced and mixed with the herb butter, provide a pungent and aromatic flavor.
Lemon Zest: It offers a burst of citrusy, bright flavor and fragrance to the chicken.

Recommended Equipment

Roasting Pan or Rimmed Sheet: To catch any juices that might run off during cooking.
Kitchen Shears: To trim excess fat from the chicken’s cavity.
Twine: To tie the legs of the chicken together before roasting.
Instant-Read Thermometer: To check the internal temperature of the chicken.

How to Make Garlic Butter Roast Chicken

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Make sure the oven rack is in the middle position.

Prepare the Garlic Butter: In a bowl, mix the softened butter, minced garlic, fresh thyme and rosemary leaves, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. Combine until well blended.

Prepare the Chicken: Remove the giblets and neck from the chicken cavity, if present. Rinse the chicken inside and out under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels.

Salt and Black Pepper: Season the inside of the chicken with salt, pepper, and dry rub.

Apply the Garlic Butter: Gently separate the skin from the breast and thigh meat by sliding your fingers under the skin. Be careful not to tear the skin. Take about 2/3 of the prepared garlic butter mixture and spread it evenly under the skin, directly onto the meat. Rub the remaining garlic butter all over the outside of the chicken. Make sure to coat it evenly.

Tie the Chicken Legs: Optional: Use kitchen twine to tie the chicken legs together. This helps the chicken cook evenly and retains its shape.

Roast the Chicken: Place the chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up.

You can add some quartered lemons, onions, or potatoes to the pan for added flavor if desired.

Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper.

Roasting Time: Roast the chicken in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C).

Rest: Remove the chicken from the oven and tent it with foil. Allow it to rest for about 15-20 minutes.

Do Not Skip: This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in moist and tender meat.

Serve: Carve the chicken and serve with any pan drippings and your favorite side dishes.

Recipe Tips for Best Results

Even Cooking: Allow the chicken to come to room temperature before roasting.
Season the chicken both inside the cavity and on the outside for maximum flavor.
Truss the Chicken: Trussing (tying up) the chicken’s legs will help it cook more evenly.
Even Coating: Spread butter mixture evenly over the chicken, including under the skin
Use a Thermometer: Invest in an instant-read thermometer to ensure chicken is cooked.
Resting Time: Tent the chicken with foil and let it rest for 15-20 minutes after roasting.
Pat Dry: Ensure the chicken is thoroughly pat dry before applying seasonings.
Stuffing: Avoid overstuffing the chicken, as it may increase the roasting time.
Rub and Season the chicken up to 1 hour in advance to infuse flavor and achieve a crispy skin.
Remove the Chicken when the internal-temp. reaches 160°F. Rest until it reaches 165°F.

Make-Ahead

Make-Ahead: Prepare the garlic butter mixture, rub it over the chicken, and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before cooking. This infuses the chicken with flavor.

How to Store: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking and consume within 3-4 days.

How to Reheat:

Oven: To reheat garlic butter roast chicken while maintaining its crispiness, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the chicken on an oven-safe dish or tray, cover it with foil to prevent drying, and heat for about 15-20 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Stovetop: Heat a skillet over medium-low heat with a bit of butter or oil. Add the chicken and gently warm it up on both sides, turning occasionally. This method is faster but may not maintain the crispiness as well as the oven method.

Microwave: (Single portions). Place the chicken on a plate, cover it with microwave-safe lid. Reheat in 30-second intervals on medium-low heat. Be careful not to overcook, as microwave reheating can make the skin less crispy.

Check Temperature: Regardless of the method you choose, use a food thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to guarantee food safety.

Serving Suggestions

As a high-protein main dish, you can pair this recipe with various side dishes such as pasta, rice, potatoes, or grains. For busy weekdays, it pairs wonderfully with a fresh Caesar or garden salad and a side of breadsticks.

Garlic Butter Roast Chicken

Name: Garlic Butter Roast Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds/1814-2268 g); 1 teaspoon (5 g) pink or kosher salt, more to taste; ½ teaspoons (1.2 g) ground black pepper, more to taste; 1 tablespoon (6 g) of dry rub blend (Italian seasoning); 2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml); ½ cup (1 stick/113 g) unsalted butter, softened; 4-6 cloves of garlic, minced (12-18 g); 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme/2 g); 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary/2 g); Zest of one lemon (1 teaspoon/2 g); ½ teaspoons (2.5 g) pink or kosher salt, more to taste; ¼ teaspoons (0.6 g) freshly ground black pepper, more to taste; Rimmed Pan: To catch any juices that might run off during cooking.; Kitchen Shears: To trim excess fat from the chicken's cavity.; Instant-Read Thermometer: To check the internal temperature of the chicken.; Twine: To tie the legs of the chicken together before roasting.

Recipe by Us&PlusCourse: Chicken, Meat, Main Dish, PoultryCuisine: Mediterranean, American

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hour

minutes

Resting time

minutes

Marinating time

minutes

Total time

hours

minutes

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds/1814-2268 g)
1 teaspoon (5 g) pink or kosher salt, more to taste
½ teaspoons (1.2 g) ground black pepper, more to taste
1 tablespoon (6 g) of dry rub blend (Italian seasoning)
2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
For the Garlic Butter:
½ cup (1 stick/113 g) unsalted butter, softened
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced (12-18 g)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme/2 g)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary/2 g)
Zest of one lemon (1 teaspoon/2 g)
½ teaspoons (2.5 g) pink or kosher salt, more to taste
¼ teaspoons (0.6 g) freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
Recommended Equipment
Rimmed Pan: To catch any juices that might run off during cooking.
Kitchen Shears: To trim excess fat from the chicken’s cavity.
Instant-Read Thermometer: To check the internal temperature of the chicken.
Twine: To tie the legs of the chicken together before roasting.

Directions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) with the oven rack positioned in the middle.
Prepare the Garlic Butter: Mix softened butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Prepare the Chicken: Rinse and pat dry the chicken with a paper towel. Remove as much moisture as you can (this will give you beautiful, golden crispy, skin).
Season and Rub: Season the inside with salt, pepper, and dry rub blend. Carefully slide the prepared garlic butter mixture under the chicken’s skin and rub the rest over the outside. Make sure to coat it evenly.
Truss the chicken: Optionally, tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine.
This helps the chicken cook more evenly and retains its shape during cooking.
Transfer the Chicken: Place the chicken in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with more salt and pepper. You can add lemons, onions, or potatoes to the pan for extra flavor.
Roasting Time: Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the thigh reaches 160°F (71°C).
Resting Time: Remove from the oven, tent with foil, and let it rest for 15-20 minutes, until it reaches 165°F (74°C).
This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in moist and tender meat.
Serve: Carve and serve with pan drippings and your favorite sides.
Store and Reheat
How to Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking and consume within 3-4 days.
How to Reheat:
Oven: Reheat in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) on an oven-safe dish, covered with foil, for about 15-20 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Stovetop: Warm up the chicken in a skillet over medium-low heat with a bit of oil or butter, turning occasionally until it’s heated through.
Microwave: (For single portions) reheat in 30-second intervals on medium-low heat on a microwave-safe plate, covered with a microwave-safe lid.

Check Temperature: Regardless of the method you choose, use a food thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to guarantee food safety.

Notes

Rub and season the chicken up to 1 hour in advance to infuse flavor and achieve a crispy skin.
Resting Time: Tent the chicken with foil and let it rest for 15-20 minutes after roasting.
Remove the Chicken when the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Rest until it reaches 165°F.
Even Coating: Spread butter mixture evenly over the chicken, including under the skin
Use a Thermometer: Invest in an instant-read thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked.

Nutrition Facts

6 servings per container

Serving Size332

Amount Per ServingCalories697
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 40g 52%
- Saturated Fat 18g 90%
Cholesterol 234mg 78%
Sodium 774mg 34%
Potassium 687mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 1.1g 1%
- Dietary Fiber 0.3g 2%
- Total Sugars 0g
Protein 63g 126%

Vitamin A 23mcg 3%
Calcium 4mg 1%
Iron 13mg 73%
Vitamin D 6mcg 30%
Niacin 187mg 1169%
Vitamin B6 96mg 5648%
Vitamin B12 44mcg 1834%
Selenium 92mcg 168%

* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.