Description
🍗 This Perfect Herb Roasted Chicken recipe yields tender, juicy meat infused with fragrant fresh herbs for a delicious home-cooked meal.
🍋 Roasting with a butter herb mixture and fresh vegetables adds moisture and flavorful depth that’s sure to impress family and guests.
Ingredients
– 1 large roasting chicken, weighing approximately 9 pounds
– 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
– 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, and parsley or a poultry herb blend)
– 1 teaspoon kosher salt
– 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
– 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
– 1/2 of a large onion, cut into quarter-inch vertical slices
– 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
– 2 celery stalks, sliced with leaves
– The rind of one lemon, peeled into pieces
– Water, added as needed during roasting
Instructions
1-Getting started with this herb roasted chicken: Begin by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C), a temperature that works wonders for even cooking. Follow these steps to create a dish that’s tender and full of flavor.
2-First: remove the giblets from the chicken cavity and rinse it with cold water, then pat it dry. This step helps the seasoning stick and promotes crispy skin. Mix the softened butter with the chopped herbs, salt, pepper, and garlic to make your flavorful butter mixture.
3-Next: place most of the vegetables onion slices, carrots, celery, and lemon rind in a roasting pan with a flat rack over them. Reserve some vegetables, fresh herbs, and lemon rind to stuff the cavity. For more ideas on stuffed chicken variations, check out this stuffed chicken recipe on our site.
4-Position the chicken on the rack and stuff its cavity with the reserved ingredients. Tuck the wing tips under the bird to keep them from burning. Gently separate the skin from the meat and spread half of the butter mixture under the skin, then rub the remaining butter over the skin for even coverage.
5-Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to hold everything in place. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken and set it to 160°F (71°C). Roast uncovered for 45 minutes, then add 2 cups of water to the pan to keep things moist.
6-Continue roasting for about 2 hours total, adding more water as needed to avoid burning. If the chicken browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil. Once the thermometer hits 160°F, remove the chicken, tent it with foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes until it reaches about 165°F (74°C). Finally, carve and serve for juicy, flavorful results.
Notes
🧈 Spread butter-herb mixture under skin to keep meat juicy and flavorful.
🌿 Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking and ensure perfect doneness.
🥕 Roast on a rack over vegetables for moist cooking and flavorful drippings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Resting time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 calories
- Sugar: 3 grams
- Sodium: 800 milligrams
- Fat: 35 grams
- Saturated Fat: 18 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 8 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 40 grams
- Cholesterol: 140 milligrams
Keywords: Herb, Roasted, Chicken, Tender