This tender and juicy roasted chicken is probably one of the easiest meals for a special dinner with your family. Butter, olive oil, herbs, and generous seasoning make this chicken stand out from the crowd! Tastes especially good with a serving of Caprese salad and a side of garlic mashed potatoes.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Tender and juicy chicken meat. Thanks to the butter and spices your chicken is going to taste so good you will be surprised!
- One chicken goes a long way. You not only get baked chicken meat and skin but you can also cook the bones to make chicken broth and use the drippings for gravy. Did you also know that by frying chicken skin you get a great bacon grease substitute to use in other recipes?
- Easy recipe. All you need to do is rub the chicken and bake it. Even a newbie can do it!
Tools You Might Need
Ingredients
Chicken. Make sure the chicken doesn’t look yellow. The yellow color means that the chicken is starting to go bad. If you are not sure. Read this article on how to tell if your chicken has gone bad.
Butter. Use any butter. I used 60% fat butter for this recipe.
Salt. You might think that there is too much salt in this recipe but remember that there is no salt on the inside of the chicken so it is important to season it well on the outside as it will bring in more flavor.
Herbs. I am using dried herbs, however, fresh herbs yield better results. If you have access to fresh rosemary, thyme, or even parsley, by all means, use them instead of dry herbs in this recipe!
How to Make Garlic Butter Roast Chicken
Step 1 – Pat dry the chicken
It is really important to dry the chicken first. Rinse it and then pat dry it whether with a kitchen towel or a paper towel. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
Step 2 – Rub the chicken
First, melt the butter and combine it with olive oil and lemon juice. Massage the mixture into the chicken on the outside and under the skin from both sides. Then, combine all the dry spices and seasoning (other than garlic) and rub them into the chicken on the outside and under the skin. Finally, mince the garlic cloves and rub the chicken with the garlic.
Place the squeezed half of a lemon into the cavity along with a sliced in half garlic head. Tie the legs with a thread. If you are using fresh herbs feel free to put some rosemary or thyme into the cavity as well.
Step 3 – Bake the chicken
Place the chicken into the baking dish breast side down and put into the oven for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes turn the chicken upside down (breast side up) and put it back into the oven for another 45 minutes. When you take the chicken out the instant thermometer should read 175F (79C). Normally, your chicken should be baked through after 1.5 hours but if you are using a larger or a frozen chicken then it is important to use a thermometer to make sure the chicken is baked through.
Expert Tips
- Take the chicken out of the refrigerator 1 hour before baking.
- If you are baking a frozen chicken add extra 10-15 minutes to the baking time and check for doneness with an instant thermometer.
- Use fresh herbs in place of dried ones if you have access to them.
- If you would like to get crispier skip on the bottom of the chicken then roast it on a rack and place a sheet pan underneath the chicken to collect the drippings. But in that case use garlic powder as raw garlic tends to burn when you roast chicken on a rack.
- Use the chicken bones and all the other parts that are not eaten to make chicken broth (add that lemon and garlic from the cavity to the pot!)
- Use the drippings to make gravy or just pour them over rice or mashed potatoes.
FAQ
Can I Bake Frozen Chicken?
You can. You will need to make sure to add extra baking time (10-15 minutes or more) until the instant thermometer reads 175F (79C). It will be a bit harder to get under the skin but it is possible!
How Long Can I Store Baked Chicken in the Refrigerator?
Cooked chicken will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Is it Better to Roast a Chicken at 400F or 350F?
I bake mine at 400F (200C) all the way but some people suggest that after the first 15 minutes it is best to turn the temperature down to 350F (175C). I never tried it and my chicken turns out delicious!
How Long Does It Take for a Whole Chicken to Bake at 400F?
About 1.5 hours.
Do You Roast a Chicken Covered or Uncovered?
I roast it uncovered, however, if yours is starting to burn you can cover it with foil.
Can I Freeze Baked Chicken?
You can freeze the cooked chicken in an airtight bag for up to 4 months.
If you liked this recipe, you might also like my gluten-free baked pork chops recipe!
Did you like this recipe for garlic butter roast chicken? Please leave a 5-star review in the recipe card below! And if you REALLY like this chicken recipe consider supporting it by buying me a coffee! 🙂 Thank you and have a great day!
📖 Recipe
Roast Chicken with Garlic Butter
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 25 grams (⅛ cup) butter I used 60% fat butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 garlic head you can take 5 cloves from the garlic head and use the rest for this ingredient
Instructions
- It is really important to dry the chicken first. Rinse it and then pat dry it whether with a kitchen towel or a paper towel. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
- First, melt the butter and combine it with olive oil and lemon juice. Massage the mixture into the chicken on the outside and under the skin from both sides. Then, combine all the dry spices and seasoning (other than garlic) and rub them into the chicken on the outside and under the skin. Finally, mince the garlic cloves and rub the chicken with the garlic.
- Place the squeezed half of a lemon into the cavity along with a sliced in half garlic head. Tie the legs with a thread. If you are using fresh herbs feel free to put some rosemary or thyme into the cavity as well.
- Place the chicken into the baking dish breast side down and put into the oven for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes turn the chicken upside down (breast side up) and put it back into the oven for another 45 minutes. When you take the chicken out the instant thermometer should read 175F (79C). Normally, your chicken should be baked through after 1.5 hours but if you are using a larger or a frozen chicken then it is important to use a thermometer to make sure the chicken is baked through.
Katie says
This is now my favorite way to make roasted chicken! SO good!