This whole roasted christmas chicken is the perfect entree to serve at your holiday dinner! Made with garlicky orange herb butter, it’s roasted until tender and juicy (with crispy skin, of course!). Beautiful, festive and tastes fabulous!
Our holiday menu is shaping up!
This christmas chicken is juicy and tender, roasted with a compound butter that tastes just like the season. It’s full of citrus and herbs and makes the entire chicken taste phenomenal.
If you don’t enjoy the typical ham, turkey, prime rib, filet or whatever other cut of meat is often served during the holiday season, make this! This chicken is super easy to make and tastes amazing. It’s very neutral and enjoyable for everyone and goes with many different side dishes.
Plus, it looks beautiful!
You can add all sorts of seasonal produce to the plate to serve this, making it a showstopping center of your meal. Or simply make it on the side and chop it up for everyone to enjoy. My kids even love chicken like this – mostly because it’s like a homemade rotisserie chicken.
As long as you make it look festive, this can be the perfect entree for your special dinner.
Now obviously… the best part of this chicken?
The butter!!
A compound butter is always fabulous. But to make a special holiday one that complements your meal?
Now that is extra special. Fancy and fun! It’s a simple trick that you can assemble ahead of time but it really MAKES the meal.
This one is an herby, garlicky orange butter that is so fragrant, flavorful and the epitome of the holiday season. And it would be delicious on things other than this chicken – make it for rolls or biscuits, use it for roasted vegetables, even give away as gifts with a loaf of sourdough and more.
I use my classic roasted chicken method for this, which allows the chicken to be extra juicy with crispy skin (the best part!). I like to stuff some of the orange herb butter up under the skin so it melts into the meat as it cooks. Every part is flavored here!
Then I rub the excess on the outside of the chicken and roast. This will make your ENTIRE house small amazing. I’m telling you we need a roasted chicken candle!
Later this week I’m going to share the rest of what I’m serving with this Christmas chicken. But in case you need a few ideas: do these melting rosemary potatoes, smashed brussels sprouts, fall pasta salad, spiced maple brussels salad or even this winter kale salad.
Just to name a few.
And now Christmas is looking extra pretty!
Whole Roasted Christmas Chicken
Whole Roasted Christmas Chicken
This whole roasted christmas chicken is the perfect entree to serve at your holiday dinner! Made with garlicky orange herb butter, it’s roasted until tender and juicy (with crispy skin, of course!). Beautiful, festive and tastes fabulous!
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
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In a bowl, mix together the butter with the garlic, zest, fresh herbs and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Mix until fully combined. You can do this ahead of time and store it in the fridge, but you want it to be soft so you can easily apply it to the chicken.
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Place the chicken in a baking dish, roasting pan or even a dutch oven. Gently lift parts of the skin on the chicken – and press some of the butter up under the skin everywhere you can. Rub the outside with the remaining butter all over. Use kitchen twine to tie the legs together – this helps the chicken cook evenly.
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Stick the dish in the oven. Roast, uncovered, for 60 to 70 minutes. Remove the chicken and take the internal temperature – you want it to read 165 degrees F. If the chicken is still not finished, roast in 10 minute increments until it is done.
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Let the chicken rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing or pulling the meat off the bones. You can place it on a platter with oranges, pomegranates, fresh herbs and more to make it look pretty!
It’s a beaut Clark!
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