Roast Chicken with Herb Butter
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
618 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Roast Chicken with Herb Butter
Description
The roast begins by making an herb butter incorporating fresh thyme, rosemary, sage, finely chopped shallots, lemon zest, honey, and room-temperature unsalted butter. This butter is then generously rubbed over and under the skin of chicken pieces to impart aromatic flavor and moisture during roasting.
Chicken pieces are placed in a roasting pan alongside halved shallots and cut garlic cloves tossed in olive oil. Roasting starts at a high temperature to crisp the skin, then lowers to finish cooking the chicken through. The aromatic butter and herbs infuse the meat, balancing richness with fresh herbaceous notes.
After roasting, a sauce is made from the pan drippings, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, and butter, providing a bright, savory finishing touch. The recipe includes options to prepare the herb butter, chicken seasoning, and shallots ahead of time, allowing flavors to develop and easing mealtime preparation.
Ingredients
For the Herb Butter
- 5 thyme sprigs, fresh
- 1 rosemary fresh sprig
- 5 sage fresh leaves
- 1 shallot peeled and finely chopped
- lemon zest of 1
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
For the Chicken
- 6 shallots peeled and halved
- 1 garlic whole head, cleaned, unpeeled, cut in half horizontally
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 chicken 4 to 4 ½ pounds (1.8 to 2 kg), cut into 4 or 6 pieces or 4 bone-in, skin-on breasts
- Herb butter (above)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- black pepper freshly ground
For the Sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth low-sodium
- 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F (235°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Make the herb butter: Pull the herbs from the stems and finely chop. Combine the chopped herbs, shallots, lemon zest, honey, and butter in a small bowl and blend well. Set aside.
- Place the shallots and garlic in a roasting pan or large oven-safe skillet and toss with the olive oil (it's okay if the garlic breaks apart a bit). Pat the chicken VERY dry with paper towels (this will help the skin to crisp) and place it in the roasting pan. Use a soup spoon to rub the herb butter all over the chicken and under the skin too (if you don't eat the skin, rub a lot of it underneath!). Sprinkle the salt evenly all over the chicken and season with fresh pepper to your liking.
- Place the chicken in the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown. Turn the heat down to 375°F (190°C); continue to roast for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until done. Chicken should be done in less than an hour; do not overcook.
- Transfer the chicken and the shallots to a serving platter to rest and cover with foil. Discard the garlic.
- Pour off all the fat from the roasting pan, leaving the brown baked-on bits in the bottom. Add the chicken broth and place on the stove over high heat; bring to a boil and whisk in the mustard. Using a whisk or wooden spoon, scrape up and combine the brown bits with the broth and continue to cook until the liquid is reduced by half, 5 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter. Pour the sauce into a gravy boat and serve alongside the chicken. (You can strain the gravy if you'd like, but I never bother.)
Notes
- The herb butter can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored refrigerated; soften before use.
- Season and butter the chicken up to 24 hours ahead, refrigerating covered for deeper flavor.
- For crispier skin, refrigerate the seasoned chicken uncovered for a few hours before roasting.
- Shallots and garlic can be peeled and pre-cut a day ahead, stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 618 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 618kcal | 31% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 43g | 86% |
| Fat | 42g | 65% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Cholesterol | 175mg | 58% |
| Sodium | 850mg | 35% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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