Description
This Maple Butter Roast Chicken is a perfectly roasted whole chicken glazed with a rich, sweet maple butter mixture and infused with fresh herbs and garlic. Surrounded by a vibrant medley of vegetables including cherry tomatoes, baby potatoes, onions, broccoli, and cauliflower, this dish offers comforting and well-balanced flavors. Ideal for a wholesome family dinner, it is roasted to juicy perfection with a crispy skin that is both savory and subtly sweet.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 whole broiler-fryer chicken (3 to 3.5 pounds)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ tablespoon fresh oregano leaves (chopped)
- ½ tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 small lemon (cut into 4 wedges)
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 fresh oregano sprigs
Vegetables
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 pound baby potatoes (quartered)
- 1 large yellow onion (cut into 8 wedges)
- ½ pound broccoli florets
- ½ pound cauliflower florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450˚F to prepare for roasting.
- Prepare Chicken: Remove giblets from inside the chicken cavity and pat the chicken dry thoroughly with paper towels for a crisp skin.
- Set Up Chicken: Place the chicken breast-side up on a rack set inside a jelly roll pan or roasting pan.
- Make Maple Butter Mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter, maple syrup, minced garlic, chopped oregano, chopped thyme, salt, and ground black pepper.
- Apply Butter Under Skin: Carefully loosen the skin on the chicken breasts and thighs using your fingers or the handle of a wooden spoon. Rub half of the butter mixture under the skin evenly, reaching thighs as well.
- Apply Butter on Skin Surface: Rub the remaining butter mixture evenly on top of the chicken skin.
- Season Cavity and Stuff: Sprinkle a bit of salt and cracked black pepper inside the chicken cavity. Fill the cavity with lemon wedges, thyme sprigs, and oregano sprigs for infused flavor.
- Truss Chicken: Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the body to ensure even roasting.
- Initial Roast: Roast the chicken uncovered at 450˚F for 10 minutes to start crisping the skin.
- Prepare Vegetables: While the chicken roasts, toss cherry tomatoes, baby potatoes, onion wedges, broccoli, and cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add Vegetables and Lower Temp: Remove the chicken from the oven and scatter the vegetable mixture around it in the pan. Lower the oven temperature to 350˚F.
- Continue Roasting: Roast the chicken and vegetables for an additional 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165˚F. Stir the vegetables halfway through cooking for even roasting.
- Rest Chicken: Remove chicken from oven and let it rest for 10 to 12 minutes to retain juices before carving.
- Serve: Carve the chicken and serve alongside the roasted vegetables.
Notes
- This roast chicken is perfectly coated in a sweet and savory maple butter glaze which caramelizes beautifully in the oven for a delicious crust.
- Using fresh herbs enhances the aromatic flavor profile, giving the chicken and vegetables a fresh and vibrant taste.
- Patting the chicken dry before roasting is essential to get a crispy skin.
- Using a roasting rack helps the heat circulate evenly around the chicken for optimal cooking.
- The vegetables tossed in olive oil roast in the chicken’s juices, absorbing rich flavors.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness to avoid over or undercooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 501 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 519 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 112 mg
