Juicy Greek Roast Chicken with Garlic and Herb Butter
User Reviews
5
69 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 35 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 50 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
426 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Greek
Juicy Greek Roast Chicken with Garlic and Herb Butter
Report
The Juicy Greek Roast Chicken recipe uses a whole large chicken rubbed with a compound butter made from softened butter, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Roasting the chicken on a bed of quartered onions and halved garlic heads helps keep it moist and flavorful. The careful preparation of loosening and stuffing the herb butter beneath the skin creates a savory and aromatic crust while locking in moisture for a tender roast.
Description
This roast chicken highlights the use of a garlic and herb compound butter blended with oregano, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper. The butter is mixed until creamy and then slid under the loosened skin of the chicken to infuse flavor directly into the meat and skin during roasting. The chicken is placed on a bed of quartered onions and garlic halves which add aroma and moisture to the roasting environment.
The method includes patting the chicken dry to ensure a crispy skin and preheating the oven to a high temperature. The cooking time is calculated based on the bird's weight. This process results in skin that crisps evenly while the interior stays juicy and tender. The lemon halves and fresh herbs complement the flavors but are used judiciously to maintain skin crispness.
This preparation is suitable for a substantial main meal and can be paired with roasted vegetables or a fresh salad. Properly trussing the bird promotes even cooking of white and dark meat.
Tips include flattening onions for stability, avoiding excess lemon juice to keep the skin crisp, and careful skin loosening to properly distribute the butter without tearing. Trussing is recommended to lock the butter in and achieve even roasting.
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Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 chicken circa 1.9kg/4.5lb, large, whole
- 1 onion no need to peel, just remove the dry outermost layer of skin, large, quartered
- 1 garlic whole head, halved horizontally
- 1 lemon halved
- thyme small handful, or rosemary sprigs
- sea salt or to taste, large pinch, coarse
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
For the compound butter
- 110 grams butter unsalted, softened, 1 US stick
- 4 teaspoons garlic or chopped, fresh garlic, paste
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon thyme or rosemary, or their dried counterparts, fresh, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt coarse
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Take the chicken out of the fridge approximately 30 minutes before you begin to allow it to come up to room temperature.
- Make a note of the weight of the chicken. You will need this to calculate the cooking time.
- To make the compound butter for the stuffing, add the softened butter, garlic paste (or chopped garlic), dried oregano, chopped thyme, coarse sea salt and black pepper to a bowl.
- Using a fork, squash and mix all the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- In a large roasting dish, arrange the quartered onions and halved garlic heads to create a 'bed' for the chicken. See note 1
- Preheat the oven to 220C/430F.
- Remove the chicken from its packaging and place it on a layer of kitchen paper. Gently pat the entire bird bone dry with another piece of paper towel.This step is crucial to ensure a crispy skin.
- To make it easier to put the butter under the skin, loosen the skin from the bird first. Use a big spoon or spatula to gently slide between the flesh and the skin, separating it as you work your way around the top half of its body. Just be careful not to tear the skin in the process.
- Do the same for the legs. You should be able to find an entry point near the loose skin around the cavity entrance of the chicken.See note 2
- Set aside approximately a quarter of the compound butter. This reserved portion will be used for the outside of the chicken.
- From the remaining butter, pinch off about two teaspoons worth of compound butter with your fingers.
- Gently push the dollop of butter underneath the skin, moving it up towards the top of the chicken breasts. Follow with more dollops of butter until you've placed a few across the largest surface area of the chicken.
- Press down on the outside surface of the skin to gently massage the butter underneath, flattening and spreading it out slightly.
- Follow the same process for the chicken legs, pushing the butter in and then gently massaging it from the outside to spread it out more.
- Briefly microwave the butter you set aside earlier until it becomes a bit runnier. Evenly pour it over the outside of the chicken.
- Use your hands to spread the butter around the chicken's body, thighs and legs (Ignore the underside of the chicken).
- Slice the lemon in half and stuff one half inside the chicken's cavity.
- Follow the lemon with a few sprigs of thyme or rosemary, pushing them up into the cavity.
- Optional: Truss the chicken's legs together with a piece of butcher's string. See note 3
- Take a generous pinch of coarse sea salt and sprinkle it across the chicken. We've found that a three-finger-and-thumb pinch is just the right amount.
- Transfer the chicken onto its onion and garlic trivet. Feel free to add more fresh herbs below the chicken if you wish.
- With the remaining half of the lemon, squeeze a small amount of juice across the chicken, followed by freshly ground black pepper.See note 4
- Cook the chicken for 10 minutes at 220C/430F then turn the heat down to 180C/356F. Then, cook it for 20 minutes per every pound (450g) of chicken. Check that the juices from the chicken are running clear before removing it from the oven. See note 5
- Allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Do not cover the chicken at this point because any steam trapped inside foil will soften the crispy skin.
Notes
- Flatten onions to provide a stable bed for the chicken in the roasting dish.
- Loosen the skin carefully only on the top side to slide in butter; underside loosening is unnecessary.
- Truss the chicken legs together to ensure even cooking of breast and thigh meat.
- Use lemon juice sparingly to avoid soggy skin and retain crispness.
- Calculate cooking times based on weight; for example, a 1.9kg chicken roasts 10 minutes at high heat plus about 84 minutes at lower heat.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
426kcal
(21%)
Carbohydrates
5g
(2%)
Protein
25g
(50%)
Fat
34g
(52%)
Saturated Fat
15g
(75%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
5g
(29%)
Monounsaturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
135mg
(45%)
Sodium
486mg
(20%)
Potassium
327mg
(7%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
672IU
(13%)
Vitamin C
15mg
(17%)
Calcium
50mg
(5%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 426 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 426kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Fat | 34g | 52% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 135mg | 45% |
| Sodium | 486mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 327mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 672IU | 13% |
| Vitamin C | 15mg | 17% |
| Calcium | 50mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
69 reviews
Excellent
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