This garlic herb roasted chicken ups your roasting game by adding herbs, garlic & butter under the skin for extra flavor. Comforting, easy to prepare and delicious.
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Roast chicken was one of the first meats my son ate and it's still a favorite, indeed for all of us. At this time of year, it's an easy way to have a hearty meal without putting in all that much effort. This garlic herb roasted chicken takes a tiny bit more effort but with delicious results.
We typically roast some vegetables like potatoes, squash, carrots, parsnips, beets and/or broccoli to go alongside. As well as being a great meal in itself, there is the added bonus of having the bones to make stock with.
I always keep ice cubes of stock in the freezer to add to dishes and make soups. It's so much better than bought, especially when you can really taste it such as in soups like Scotch broth or avgolemono soup.
You also, sometimes, have some leftover meat which can go in a variety of things from sandwiches and salads to risotto. For us, Vietnamese chicken salad and butternut squash risotto with chicken are particular favorites.
If there are less of you for a Thanksgiving meal, a chicken is a great alternative to turkey, while keeping the feel of the traditional. Although that said, we do love roast duck.
One of the things I love about roasting a chicken is there is minimal preparation. And while it takes a little time to cook, you don't have to do anything, just let it get on with things.
I often roast it relatively plain with seasoning on top and some lemon inside. But sometimes I feel like doing a teeny bit more preparation than usual to add in some extra flavors.
How to prepare garlic herb roasted chicken
While it's a little more than just putting the chicken in the oven, the preparation for this roasted chicken is easy. You crush up some garlic with some salt, add the chopped aromatic herbs, then ease the mixture in under the skin of the chicken. You do this just by gently pulling the skin away from the breast of the chicken, from the neck end.
I didn't bother trying to put it under the skin of the legs as well, as I felt it was too much of a pain to try. Plus personally I really like the flavor of the brown meat as it is. It certainly feels enough with the herbs infusing just the breast meat.
Having played around with roasting, I find adding a bit of butter under and over the skin really helps the flavor. I also really like using some whole lemon inside, so I added that too.
All combined, you get a nicely aromatic flavor that makes a nice variation on a simple roast chicken. The skin still goes crispy and there is plenty of meat without the garlic-herb mixture on it in case some of your eaters (eg the kids) are less convinced.
So up your roast chicken game and try this tasty twist. This garlic herb roasted chicken takes only a tiny bit more work for wonderfully aromatic flavors that are oh so good.
Looking for sides to serve with your roast chicken? Try these!
- Maple-roasted buttercup squash
- Dauphinoise potatoes (meltingly tender, cooked with cream, similar to scalloped potatoes)
- Roasted asparagus with parmesan
- Some of these garlic herb Parker house rolls from Garlic and Zest would also be great.
- Plus get more ideas in the side dishes archives, as well as comforting winter recipes.
Garlic herb roasted chicken
Ingredients
- 4 lb chicken 1.8kg, approx
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon fresh sage
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
- ½ lemon
- ¾ tablespoon butter 10g (approx)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
- Roughly chop garlic and crush with the salt.
- Roughly chop herbs and add to garlic, crush to combine.
- Gently ease the skin away from the meat over the chicken breasts from the neck end (ie not from the cavity). Take some of the garlic-herb mixture and push it in under the skin, over the breast, on each side, and ease it over as much of the breast as possible by rubbing from the outside once you have put the mixture in as best you can. Rub the rest of the paste over the outside.
- Cut the half lemon in two and push into the cavity of the bird, then place on a roasting tray. Slice the butter into 3 or 4 thin slices and put a slice under the skin on each breast.
- Sprinkle the skin with salt and pepper then drizzle over a little olive oil and rub in. Dot a couple more pieces of butter on the outside.
- Roast for 1hr, 15 mins until the skin is crisp and the juices run clear.
Video
Nutrition
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Amanda says
This is a perfect roast chicken with all of those flavours. The juices made an amazing gravy too.
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, yes it's tasty poured over the top of the chicken too!
Patty says
Mmmm I really need to try this! I always stuff a few brindles of tarragon under the skin of my chicken but never thought to add butter, sounds delicious and of course a great way to make a juicy roast chicken, thanks for the tip, can't wait to try it!
Caroline's Cooking says
Thanks, yes the butter definitely helps add to the flavor and juiciness.
Jacqueline Debono says
I put butter under the skin of a roast chicken but have never done the same with garlic and herbs. Love the idea. Def going to do it next time I roast a chicken!
Caroline's Cooking says
It's definitely worth trying them in there too for some extra flavor!
Beth Neels says
I started to put fats and herbs under the skin a few years ago! It really makes a huge difference in the flavor of the meat! I love the garlic addition, as well!
Caroline's Cooking says
I agree, it does really help add some flavor!