Maple Butter Roast Chicken Recipe - Easy Whole Roasted Chicken! (2024)

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Katerina

5 from 16 votes

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Want to wow your family, your guests, or just… yourself? Then look no further than this easy Maple Butter Roast Chicken! Whole roasted chicken with a sweet and buttery “glaze” is baked with a succulent medley of cold-weather veggies and tangy tomatoes. So good!

Maple Butter Roast Chicken Recipe - Easy Whole Roasted Chicken! (2)

    Easy Whole Roasted Chicken Dinner

    I love cooking with chicken, don’t you? It’s so versatile! From bone-in thighs with crispy skin, to the perfect air-fried chicken tenders, chicken has a lot to offer.

    But if you’ve tried my EASY Roast Chicken Recipe, then you know that one of my all-time, absolute favorite ways to prepare chicken is simply to roast one whole bird, with a blend of amazing flavors.

    My irresistible Maple Butter Whole Roasted Chicken is a mouthwatering masterpiece that elevates the traditional roast chicken experience with its delectable blend of sweet and savory flavors. The star of this dish is the luxurious maple butter glaze, which infuses the succulent chicken with a rich, caramel-like sweetness while also creating a beautifully crispy skin.

    This chicken is a memorable culinary delight that will have everyone coming back for seconds, perfect for special occasions, family dinners, or just an indulgent weekend treat. In the Fall especially, whole roasted chicken is just so homey and amazing to bring to the table – and this one with maple syrup, butter, and roast veggies is so seasonally on point!

    Maple Butter Roast Chicken Recipe - Easy Whole Roasted Chicken! (3)

    How To Clean and Prepare a Whole Chicken

    It’s actually very easy to clean and prep a whole chicken. First, if your chicken includes a package of giblets inside, remove that. You can toss them, or save them for another use. Then, place the chicken in your prepared baking dish, season it, and tie the legs together. It’s also a good idea to tuck the wings underneath the back of the bird to prevent scorching. Done!

    Some folks wash their chicken with water before cooking, but I generally don’t recommend this. It’s not really necessary and it increases your risk of food poisoning because the water can splash on your counter, arms, clothing, etc.

    Maple Butter Roast Chicken Recipe - Easy Whole Roasted Chicken! (4)

    Roast Chicken Ingredients

    For the Chicken:

    • A Whole Chicken: You’ll need a 3 to 3.5 pound whole broiler-fryer chicken.
    • Butter: 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened.
    • Pure Maple Syrup: You can substitute sugar-free or keto maple syrup.
    • Fresh Garlic: Mince the garlic or put it through a garlic press.
    • Fresh Thyme and Oregano Leaves: Remove any stems and chop the leaves lightly.
    • Salt and Pepper
    • Lemon: Cut the lemon into 4 wedges
    • Fresh Thyme and Oregano Sprigs: No need to stem or chop, just rinse and pat dry.

    For the Vegetables:

    • Tomatoes: I like cherry tomatoes, but you can substitute whatever tomatoes are freshest and cut them into bite-sized pieces, if needed.
    • Potatoes: Any waxy potato in bite-sized pieces will work, but I prefer baby potatoes.
    • Onion: You can use any type of onion, cut into wedges.
    • Broccoli and Cauliflower Florets: If you don’t have one or the other, you can use all broccoli, or all cauliflower.
    • Olive Oil
    Maple Butter Roast Chicken Recipe - Easy Whole Roasted Chicken! (5)

    How To Roast a Whole Chicken

    This whole roasted chicken recipe couldn’t be easier to make. With just a bit of prep you can pop it into the oven and let your chicken cook. By the way, this makes your house smell amazing while roasting.

    1. Prep the Oven, Pan, and Chicken. Preheat oven to 450˚F. Remove any giblets from inside the cavity of the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the breast-side up on a rack set over a jelly roll pan, or inside a roasting pan.
    2. Make the Seasoning Mixture: In a mixing bowl combine softened butter, maple syrup, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
    3. Dress the Chicken: Using your fingers, or the handle of a wooden spoon, carefully loosen the skin on the chicken breasts and thighs. Rub half of the butter mixture under the skin, spreading it all around and to the thighs. Rub the rest of the butter mixture on top of the skin. Add a bit of salt and cracked black pepper inside the cavity; then fill the cavity with lemon wedges, thyme sprigs, and oregano sprigs.
    4. Truss and Roast the Chicken: Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together and tuck the wings under the body of the chicken. Roast the chicken, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
    5. Prep and Add the Veggies: In the meantime, combine all the veggies in a mixing bowl and add olive oil; toss to coat. Remove the chicken from the oven and add the vegetables to the pan.
    6. Finish Roasting: Lower the oven temperature to 350˚F. Continue to roast the chicken for 1 more hour, or until internal temperature reaches 165˚F. Stir veggies halfway through cooking. Remove chicken from oven and let rest 10 minutes.
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    How To Roast Vegetables

    It really doesn’t get much simpler than roasting veggies! Just choose your veggies, cut them up, and toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then roast until they’re tender and browned — so simple! I’ve already written a whole post on it if you’d like more specifics! Roasted vegetables really are an easy, super-delicious side dish, so go all out!

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    What To Serve With Whole Roast Chicken

    • Appetizer Ideas: I love to start off a meal like this with something a bit luxurious as an appetizer. These scrumptious Caprese Stuffed Mushrooms are absolutely perfect! It’s almost like a luscious, decadent, low-carb bruschetta. Yum!
    • Bet on Bread: I find that whole roast chickens often create a lovely pan sauce all their own, so it’s nice to serve up a homemade quick bread to soak up that yumminess. Try my Soda Bread in a Skillet, or Light Skillet Cornbread, for the perfect rustic touch. An easy flatbread would also be amazing on the side.
    • Chocolate? Check! A nice dessert is always appropriate, right? Try this wonderful Chocolate Pumpkin Bread! It’s such an easy and rewarding bake for cold weather!
    Maple Butter Roast Chicken Recipe - Easy Whole Roasted Chicken! (8)

    How To Store and Reheat Chicken

    • To refrigerate, simply cover the leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
    • To freeze, remove the chicken meat from the bones and discard the bones, or save them for broth. Wrap the meat tightly in plastic wrap, or store in freezer bags, pushing out as much air as possible before sealing. Freeze for up to 3 months. Freeze roasted vegetables separately, in airtight containers or freezer bags, for up to 3 months.
    • To reheat, first thaw the chicken and/or veggies separately in the refrigerator (if frozen). Reheat in the oven, covered, at 350˚F until just heated through. Do not overcook.

    More Whole Chicken Recipes

    • Bundt Pan Roasted Chicken
    • Cream Cheese Roast Chicken
    • Piri Piri Chicken

    ENJOY!

    Maple Butter Roast Chicken Recipe - Easy Whole Roasted Chicken! (9)

    Maple Butter Roast Chicken with Vegetables

    Katerina | Diethood

    A whole roast chicken flavored with savory herbs, sweet maple syrup, and butter.

    5 from 16 votes

    Rate this Recipe!

    Servings : 6

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    Prep Time 15 minutes mins

    Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

    Resting Time 10 minutes mins

    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

    Ingredients

    For the Chicken:

    • 1 whole broiler-fryer chicken, 3 to 3.5 pounds
    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
    • ¼ cup maple syrup
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • ½ tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
    • ½ tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
    • 1 small lemon, cut into 4 wedges
    • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
    • 4 fresh oregano sprigs

    For the Vegetables:

    • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
    • 1 pound baby potatoes, quartered
    • 1 large yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges
    • ½ pound broccoli florets
    • ½ pound cauliflower florets
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 450˚F.

    • Remove giblets from inside the cavity of the chicken. Thoroughly pat dry chicken with paper towels.

    • Place the chicken breast-side UP on a rack set over a jelly roll pan or inside a roasting pan. Set aside.

    • In a mixing bowl combine softened butter, maple syrup, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.

    • Using your fingers, or the handle of a wooden spoon, carefully loosen the skin on the chicken breasts and thighs.

    • Rub HALF of the butter mixture under the skin, spreading it all around and to the thighs.

    • Rub the rest of the butter mixture on top of the skin.

    • Add a bit of salt and cracked black pepper inside the cavity; fill the cavity with lemon wedges, 4 thyme sprigs, and 4 oregano sprigs.

    • Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together.

    • Tuck the wings under the body of the chicken.

    • Roast the chicken, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

    • In the meantime, combine all the veggies in a mixing bowl and add olive oil, salt, and pepper; toss to coat.

    • Remove chicken from oven and add the vegetables to the pan.

    • Lower oven temperature to 350˚F.

    • Continue to roast the chicken for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165˚F. Use an Instant Read Thermometer to check for doneness. Start checking at the 55-minute mark.

      Stir veggies halfway through cooking.

    • Remove chicken from oven and let rest 10 to 12 minutes before cutting.

    • Cut and serve.

    Notes

    • To reduce carbs, remove the potatoes and use Sugar-Free Maple Syrup.
      • Leaving out the potatoes and onions, and using sugar-free maple syrup, will amount to 10 carbs per serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 501 kcal | Carbohydrates: 29 g | Protein: 25 g | Fat: 33 g | Saturated Fat: 13 g | Cholesterol: 112 mg | Sodium: 519 mg | Potassium: 932 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 8 g | Vitamin A: 1008 IU | Vitamin C: 93 mg | Calcium: 71 mg | Iron: 3 mg

    Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

    Course: Main Course

    Cuisine: American

    Keyword: how to roast a chicken, oven roasted chicken, whole roasted chicken

    Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

    Categories:

    • Chicken Recipes
    • Recipes
    Maple Butter Roast Chicken Recipe - Easy Whole Roasted Chicken! (2024)

    FAQs

    Is it better to roast or bake a whole chicken? ›

    When making foods that have a solid structure (vegetables or meats), you should roast the food. If you're making foods that aren't solid before cooking (cake, bread, etc), you should bake the food. While both methods use dry heat, the process and the temperatures can vary due to the structure of the food.

    What's the difference between roast chicken and roasted chicken? ›

    But the verb 'to roast' retains its usual grammatical simplicity, or noun form (a roast), 'roast, roasted, roasting. Both are correct, but they have subtly different meanings. Roasted chicken describes meat that has been cooked by roasting. Roast chicken is a dish made by roasting a chicken.

    What not to do when roasting a chicken? ›

    The 5 mistakes to avoid with roast chicken
    1. Skipping the de-pluming step. ...
    2. Not cutting off the ends of the wings (the thinnest part) ...
    3. Skipping prep before roasting. ...
    4. Roasting the chicken in too much seasoning. ...
    5. Cooking the meat for too long or too little.
    Oct 2, 2020

    Should you cover a chicken when roasting? ›

    Weigh your chicken and calculate the cooking time according to the guide below. Sit the bird in a roasting tin slightly larger than the chicken, and don't cover it with foil or you won't achieve a crisp skin. Basting your chicken during cooking will help keep the meat moist.

    How long should I cook a whole chicken at 350 degrees? ›

    Baking a whole chicken is like roasting a turkey. At 350 degrees you should count on 20-25 minutes per pound for a 3 to 8 pound chicken.

    What is the best temperature to roast a chicken? ›

    For tender, fall-off-the-bone meat and soft skin, roast whole chicken at 325°F (162°C) for 1 ½ to 2 hours, depending on the weight. For firm, juicy meat and crisp, golden-brown skin, roast whole chicken 425°F (218°C) oven for 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours, depending on size.

    Is whole roasted chicken the same as rotisserie chicken? ›

    However, despite the fact that both dishes utilize dry heat, their preparation methods are actually a bit different: Roasted chickens are cooked in the oven at high heat, whereas rotisserie chickens are cooked on a rotating spit, allowing all parts of the bird to be heated evenly.

    Which is healthier rotisserie chicken or roasted chicken? ›

    A rotisserie chicken will have similar nutrients to one you roast,” says Allers. “Similar protein, iron. The main difference is the amount and type of any additives.” Some stores “inject the chickens with a solution, which might contain added salt, sugar, various natural flavorings,” Allers explains.

    What is full roasted chicken called? ›

    Rotisserie chicken is often sold at restaurants specializing in rotisserie chicken and is eaten with tortillas, salsa, and sides of arroz rojo and refried beans; it can also be found at supermarkets or warehouse clubs such as Costco or Sam's Club.

    Should you put water in the pan when roasting chicken? ›

    It's usually not necessary to add water to the pan for a roast chicken: the steam created by the water can prevent the skin from becoming browned and crisp.

    How long should a whole chicken sit out before roasting? ›

    Always let your bird come to room temperature, by leaving it outside of the fridge, covered, for an hour before cooking it. Why? Because your bird will cook unevenly otherwise. Many recipes suggest you rinse your bird before roasting it, but for most store-bought chickens this step isn't necessary.

    Should you oil chicken skin before roasting? ›

    Giving the skin a good rubdown with oil or another fat before or shortly after popping it in the oven will help the skin to glisten and will improve how evenly it browns, since fat conducts high heat so well, without needing to open the oven during cooking to baste the bird.

    What is the best way to ensure a roast chicken is fully cooked? ›

    Using a food thermometer is the only sure way of knowing if your food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy foodborne bacteria. All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F (73.9 °C) as measured with a food thermometer.

    What kind of pan is best for roasting chicken? ›

    You'll need a pan in which to roast the chicken. A roasting pan with a rack is nice, particularly one with upright handles, which is easy to move around in the oven. But a rimmed sheet pan or oven-proof skillet (like cast-iron) works just as well.

    What is the difference between roasting and baking in the oven? ›

    What's the Difference Between Baking and Roasting? Roasting uses the same type of all-over, dry heat as baking, but at higher temperatures between 400 and 450° F. Choose the roasting method to get thicker, tougher foods brown and crisp, and the baking method to retain moisture in thinner, more delicate foods.

    Why would you roast a chicken? ›

    This method extracts the moisture and gives the bird a crisp, golden skin. Another option is to remove the skin from the chicken after roasting (but before carving), then dry fry the skin in a non-stick pan until crisp and a similar texture to pork scratchings.

    Why does roast chicken taste better? ›

    Bones and skin makes a whole roast chicken better

    Most of this comes from fat, which adds both moisture and flavor to meat. Obviously, a lot of this fat comes from the layer under the skin that gets cooked down to both crisp up the skin, and essentially self-baste the bird.

    Is it better to roast a chicken fast or slow? ›

    Oven Temperature

    Go low and slow for a very tender, falling-off-the-bone flesh and softer skin (say, 300 to 350 degrees for 1 ½ to 2 hours or so). Or roast it fast and furiously for less time for crisp, dark brown skin and firmer, chewier flesh (between 375 and 500 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours).

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