5.0 from 387 votes
Garlic Butter Roast Chicken
This roast chicken is perfectly tender & juicy on the inside with a garlic-butter crispy skin!
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Additional Time
10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 458 kcal
Course:
Main Course , Dinner
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 3 ½ to 4 pound whole chicken
- ½ medium onion
- 4 prigs fresh thyme or 1 sprig rosemary or parsley
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Ensure the cavity of the chicken is empty by removing the bag of giblets and neck. (Not all chickens will have these.)
- Dab the chicken dry with a paper towel and season the inside and outside with salt and pepper.
- Cut the onion in half (so you have two quarters of an onion) and place the onion and thyme inside the cavity of the chicken. If the legs are not tied together, use kitchen twine to tie them.
- Combine butter, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves). Mix well.
- Spread the garlic butter mixture over the skin of the chicken *see note. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Place the chicken in a cast iron or ceramic baking dish. Herbs, onions, lemons, & garlic can be added to the pan if desired.
- Place the chicken in the oven and reduce the heat to 425°F. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the juices run clear and the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with the melted garlic butter in the pan if desired.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Garlic Butter Option: I prefer to spread the garlic butter mixture over the skin of the chicken. If you'd like, half of the garlic butter can be placed under the skin to infuse the butter into the meat. Use your fingers to gently separate the skin from the breast meat and add the butter mixture under the skin. Massage it around the chicken breast to spread it over the meat between the skin and the meat. Spread a thin layer of the remaining butter mixture over the skin.
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel, inside and out.
- Tie the legs with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under for even cooking.
- Lemons, additional onion, or garlic can be added to the baking pan if desired.
- Preheat the oven to a 450°F to sear the outside of the chicken. Lowering temperature cooks a bit slower and the result is perfectly tender chicken with crispy skin.
- Cook chicken until the juices run clear and it reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh (not touching the bone).
- Nutrition information includes half of the butter mixture as not all of it is absorbed into the chicken.
Nutrition Information
Calories
458
(23%)
Carbohydrates
2g
(1%)
Protein
36g
(72%)
Fat
33g
(51%)
Saturated Fat
10g
(50%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
6g
Monounsaturated Fat
14g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
150mg
(50%)
Sodium
135mg
(6%)
Potassium
390mg
(11%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
402IU
(8%)
Vitamin C
6mg
(7%)
Calcium
30mg
(3%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 458
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 458 | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 2g | 1% |
| Protein | 36g | 72% |
| Fat | 33g | 51% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 150mg | 50% |
| Sodium | 135mg | 6% |
| Potassium | 390mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 402IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 30mg | 3% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.