Garlic Butter Roasted Chicken

This Garlic Butter Roasted Chicken is a very easy recipe. But easy does not mean bland, this chicken is packed with flavor in and out.

Garlic Butter Roasted Chicken

This Garlic Butter Roasted Chicken will become your favorite roast chicken recipe. This is the perfect recipe to make on any dinner night, for a Sunday roast, or even for any holiday gathering. You won’t go wrong with this recipe because it solves all the major issues when making a whole chicken in the oven.

Solving the major problems when roasting a chicken

• Bland chicken– This recipe has black pepper, onion powder, ground thyme and salt. The exact amount of salt, not just add salt to taste because you can add too little or too much if you are not used to seasoning a whole chicken. All of this makes a very flavorful mix that will not only be in the skin but also inside the chicken.

• Dry meat- We add to this recipe a little bit of seasoning mixed in with garlic and half of a stick of butter. This is then put under the skin and it helps keep your chicken moist while it cooks. No more dry chicken breast here. Plus the butter will also add another layer of flavor.

• Soggy skin- When we make the seasoning mix to rub on the chicken we use vegetable oil. This is what helps get the skin in the chicken nice and crispy. Also patting dry the skin of the chicken is very important to ensure a nice crisp on the chicken skin.

Ingredients

1. Whole Chicken- Here I used a 5 pound chicken. Where I live, I have never been able to find small whole chickens.

2. Garlic paste- For this recipe, fresh garlic works best. I don’t suggest using pre-made garlic paste because sometimes it doesn’t have the same flavor or the same intensity as the fresh kind.

3. Butter- I used half of the salted butter to help the chicken absorb more flavor. But you can use unsalted if you prefer.

4. Seasonings- The seasonings used are salt, black pepper, onion powder and ground thyme. You can add cayenne pepper or red chili flakes if you want to add some spice.

5. Lemon- I used half of a lemon but if you like a more lemony taste then you can use a whole one.

6. Rosemary-  I use 2 sprigs of rosemary but if you don’t have any, fresh thyme will also work.

7. Oil- I use vegetable oil. You can also use olive oil.

8. Oregano- I used dried oregano but you can also use parsley.

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How To Make Garlic Butter Roasted Chicken

1. Mix salt, black pepper, onion powder and thyme together.

2. Mix the butter, garlic and 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mix.

3. Lift the skin of the chicken on both sides. Being careful not to break the skin.

4. Put the butter under the skin and spread it around by pressing on the butter.

5. Add the oil to the rest of your seasoning. Spread one teaspoon of seasoning inside the chicken. Rub the rest on top of the whole chicken. Pour oregano over the chicken and rub it all over. Put the rosemary and lemon inside the chicken and tie the legs together with a piece of string.

6. Place your chicken on a rack on top of a pan. Put your chicken to cook at 400°F for 1 hour and 45 minutes. After the first 40 minutes, bast the chicken. Rotate your pan so a different side of the chicken is facing the back of the oven. This is done to help the chicken get an even color.

How long does it take to roast a chicken?

You will need about 20 minutes of cooking for each pound of chicken. For a 5 pound chicken, I usually cook it for about 1 hour and 45 minutes for a nice crispy skin.

Do you have to use a rack when roasting chicken?

You don’t have to use a rack when roasting a chicken. But I always like to use one so the bottom of my chicken is not soggy and greasy. If you don’t have a rack, you can put the chicken on top of carrots and potatoes. The vegetables will absorb the drippings and they will be delicious.

How to store?

The first step to storing a roasted chicken is to let it completely cool. To store the whole chicken in the fridge, transfer it to an airtight container and store it for no more than 4 days. Keep in the freezer for no more than 4 months. To reheat the chicken, you can do it in the microwave or a pan on the stove.

What to serve with?

You can serve roasted chicken with a simple classic like french fries and ketchup. You can have any other sauce like mayo ketchup or a garlic cilantro sauce. A personal favorite will have to be tostones or yellow rice with beans.

Other sides:

• Potato bread rolls                                                      
• Refreshing Passion fruit Mojito
• White rice and Stewed beans

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