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roasted chicken recipe
- Total Time: 100 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: General
Description
This roasted chicken recipe uses a compound butter technique with sumac and lemon zest to create juicy meat and crispy skin, perfect for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3.5 lb whole chicken
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground sumac
- 1 lemon, zested and halved
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 0.5 tablespoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch, optional (for sauce)
- 2 tablespoons cold water, optional (for slurry)
- Fresh herb sprigs (for cavity)
Instructions
- Prep Chicken and Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Remove the chicken from packaging, take out giblets, and pat the chicken very dry inside and out using paper towels. Place the chicken on a roasting rack set over a roasting pan.
- Make Sumac-Lemon Herb Butter: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, ground sumac, lemon zest, chopped parsley, chopped cilantro, salt, and black pepper; mix thoroughly until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Apply Butter Under the Skin: Using your fingers, carefully loosen the skin over the chicken breasts and thighs, being careful not to tear it. Take about two-thirds of the compound butter mixture and gently spread it evenly under the skin over the breast and thigh meat.
- Finish Prepping for Roasting: Rub the remaining butter mixture all over the outside of the chicken skin; drizzle with olive oil. Season generously with additional salt and black pepper over the exterior; place the halved lemon and fresh herb sprigs inside the chicken cavity. If desired, tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine.
- Roast the Chicken: Place the roasting pan in the preheated oven and roast at 425°F (220°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until the skin begins to turn golden brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue roasting for an additional 45-60 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C). Baste the chicken every 20-30 minutes with pan drippings.
- Rest and Make Sauce: Once cooked, transfer the roasted chicken to a cutting board; tent loosely with foil and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. While the chicken rests, prepare the pan sauce by removing the roasting rack and skimming off excess fat from the pan drippings. Place the pan over medium heat on the stovetop, add the vegetable broth, and scrape up all the browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan, bringing the sauce to a simmer.
- Thicken and Serve: To thicken the sauce, whisk together cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl to form a slurry; pour the slurry into the simmering broth and whisk constantly until slightly thickened. Carve the rested chicken into pieces and serve with the pan sauce, garnished with fresh herbs and a light dusting of extra ground sumac.
Notes
To achieve crispy skin, pat the chicken completely dry before applying the butter and olive oil. If the skin begins to darken too quickly during roasting, loosely tent the chicken with aluminum foil. For dietary adjustments, substitute fresh oregano for cilantro.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 200 g)
- Calories: 450 calories
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg