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Homemade Garlic Herb Butter Roasted Chicken recipe photo

Garlic Herb Butter Roasted Chicken

A juicy whole chicken roasted with garlic, lemon, and an herbed butter for a golden, flavorful crust.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • Roasting Pan
  • Small Bowl
  • Medium Bowl
  • Kitchen twine
  • basting spoon or brush
  • Knife
  • Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 pound whole chicken room temperature, giblets and neck removed from cavity
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lemon zested first and juiced
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 4 tablespoons butter room temperature (for herb butter)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
  • 1 tablespoon paprika optional, for a darker color when roasting
  • 6 cloves garlic minced (for herb butter)
  • 1 head garlic roughly peeled and cut in half horizontally
  • 6 sprigs fresh rosemary tied together (for cavity)
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme (for cavity)
  • 1 lemon quartered (for cavity)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease a roasting pan with olive oil.
  • Clean the chicken by rinsing under cold water, then pat completely dry with paper towels and trim excess fat.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the melted 1/4 cup butter, 4 tablespoons olive oil, and the juice of the zested lemon.
  • Place the chicken in the roasting pan and pour the butter-olive oil-lemon mixture over it, working some under the skin and into the cavity with your hands.
  • Season the inside and outside of the chicken generously with salt and freshly ground pepper, and sprinkle chopped parsley over the outside.
  • In a medium bowl, combine 4 tablespoons room-temperature butter, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, 1 teaspoon chopped thyme, the lemon zest, 6 minced garlic cloves, and paprika if using; stir until smooth.
  • Rub the herb butter all over the chicken, spreading it on the skin and pushing some under the skin where possible.
  • Stuff the chicken cavity with the halved garlic head, the tied rosemary sprigs, the thyme sprigs, and the quartered lemon. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
  • Place the chicken breast-side up in the prepared roasting pan and roast at 425°F for about 1 hour 15–25 minutes, basting once halfway through, until juices run clear when pierced or the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
  • When the chicken is done, baste again with pan juices, then broil for 2–3 minutes to deep‑brown the skin if desired.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest 10–15 minutes before carving. Drizzle pan juices over the carved chicken and serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Notes

  • Bring the chicken to room temperature before roasting for even cooking.
  • Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) internally.
  • Baste once halfway through cooking for a moister bird.
  • Broil briefly at the end only to avoid burning the herb butter.