Herb Butter Roast Chicken Recipe – The Gift That Keeps on Giving

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This Roast Chicken Recipe with Herb Butter is a centerpiece dinner and a killer chicken dish. Butter creates a beautiful golden crispy skin while keeping the meat decadent and moist. To keep the underneath of the chicken off the pan the chicken is roasted atop a bed of root vegetables. The vegetables soak up all the chicken’s juices and flavors leaving you a built-in side dish.

You won’t regret spending time to make this herb butter roast chicken recipe. It’s one of my family’s favorite meals. We often serve the roast tableside. My girls love to eat the drumsticks while we sit at the table and talk about our days.

Prepping this chicken takes about 15 minutes, mostly from creating the compound butter and chopping vegetables. Once you have the butter and vegetables ready you slather the butter between the skin and chicken meat and then you’re ready to roast.

Roast Chicken with Herb Butter Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400-425°F (220°C).
2. Rinse the whole chicken inside and out, then pat it dry with paper towels.
3. Next, create a flavorful rub for the chicken such as our compound herb butter. In a small bowl, mix softened butter with finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, sage, and rosemary. Add minced garlic, lemon zest, coriander, pink peppercorns, salt, and black pepper, and thoroughly combine.

4. Gently lift the chicken’s skin and rub the herb butter mixture underneath the skin, distributing it evenly over the breast and thighs.
5. Place the chicken on a roasting pan with a bed of chopped root vegetables such as carrots, celery, onions, and turnips.

6. Roast the chicken in the oven for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Baste the chicken with its’ juices every 30 minutes for optimal flavor and moisture.

A wholesome roast chicken meal deserves equally delicious and nutritious side dishes. You can pair your Herb Butter Roast Chicken with an array of accompaniments. Here are a few ideas to inspire your meal choice:

1. Roasted Root Vegetables: Use carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes with olive oil, garlic, and fresh herbs to roast with the chicken for a hearty and flavorful side.
2. Herbed Quinoa Salad: Create a salad with cooked quinoa, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and a zesty lemon-herb dressing. This light and nutritious side complements the richness of the roast chicken.
3. Creamy Mashed Potatoes: A classic favorite! Serve with a dollop of any leftover herb butter.
4. Side Salad with Vinaigrette: Use a classic French vinaigrette to dress a simple salad. Add some chicory or frisee green to the salad for some added dimension. For a quick salad option simply squeeze lemon and olive oil over the greens with salt and pepper.
5. Black Eyed Peas or Lentils: Hearty legumes would stand up to the robust flavors of the roast chicken and vegetables.
6. Braised Greens: Collard, swiss chard, or mustard greens braised with garlic and water are another way to round out this roast chicken meal.

The joy of this roast chicken recipe lies in the abundance of leftovers. The leftover chicken can inspire countless culinary creations. After enjoying your Roast Chicken with Herb Butter, consider these ideas to repurpose the remaining meat:

• Chicken Pot Pie: Leftover diced chicken and vegetables can be mixed with a creamy sauce and topped with wheat pie crust to enjoy a comforting one-pot comfort meal.
• Salad with Chicken: Shred the leftover chicken and toss it with fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and your favorite dressing for a refreshing and protein-packed salad.
• Creamy Chicken Salad: Combine the chicken with yogurt/mayonnaise and celery to make a different version of chicken salad. Use for a sandwich, to top a spring lettuce mix, or stuff it into an avocado.
• Grain Bowls: Create a hearty grain bowl by combining cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables, and leftover chicken. Drizzle with a tahini or lemon-herb dressing for a nutritious and satisfying meal.
• Sandwiches: Stack slices of roast chicken on whole grain bread with avocado, lettuce, and a touch of mayo for a wholesome and flavorful sandwich.
• Chicken Soup: Create chicken stock. Then add leftover meat with onions, carrots, and celery to make a comforting and nourishing chicken soup.

Making chicken stock from the bones of your Roast Chicken is a simple yet rewarding process. Here’s how:

1. Extract any remaining meat from the chicken bones and set it aside for future use.
2. Place the chicken bones in a large stockpot and cover them with a few inches of water.
3. Add a teaspoon of salt, bring to a boil, skim off any white foam, and simmer for an hour.
4. Add onions, carrots, celery, a bay leaf, and about 4-5 peppercorns for added flavor.
5. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the stock cook for another 2-3 hours.
6. Strain the stock to remove the solids, and store it in airtight containers. Refrigerate or freeze the stock for later use in soups, stews, and sauces.

This roast chicken with herb butter is a go-to recipe. It’s a classic, timeless, practical dish for your cooking repertoire.

From repurposing leftovers to crafting flavorful chicken stock, this roast chicken recipe is a winner!

Roast Chicken with Herb Butter and Vegetables

This Roast Chicken with Herb Butter recipe yields a fantastic dinner and leftovers for future meals. A whole chicken is generously coated with homemade herb compound butter. The chicken is then roasted on a bed of carrots, celery, onions, and turnips, (or whatever seasonal vegetables you have). As the chicken roasts, the herb-infused butter imparts its flavors, creating a moist and flavorful meat with a beautifully crispy golden skin. The roasted vegetables absorb the savory juices, becoming tender and caramelized, complementing the chicken perfectly.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main

Cuisine: American, French, Italian, Mediterranean

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: batch cooking, chicken, leftovers

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Resting Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Author: juiceofsevenlemons

Equipment

• 1 Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 whole roasting chicken
• 5 tablespoons compound herb butter
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Vegetables

• 1 cup onion chopped 1 small onion
• 1 cup carrots chopped 2 medium carrots
• 1 cup celery stalks chopped 2 small celery stalks
• 1 cup turnips chopped 3 small turnips
• 1/2 lemon
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

Instructions

Prepare Chicken

• Set the oven to 400 F
• Remove any innards from the inside of the chicken
• Using your fingers, peel apart the breast skin from the chicken flesh so that you can reach a finger between the skin and meat; reach through breast into leg and thigh and do the same with the skin, being careful not to tear any skin
• Take half a tablespoon of butter at a time and rub underneath the skin of the chicken onto each section of the meat (breast, leg, thigh)
• Use any remaining butter to rub onto the top of the skin
• Salt the chicken all over and set aside

Prepare Vegetables

• Chop the vegetables and place them into a roasting pan
• Salt the vegetables, drizzle with oil and mix with hands to distribute the oil and salt

Roast Prepared Food

• Place the chicken on top of the vegetables
• Add a thermometer probe into either the chicken breast or thigh
• Squeeze the lemon’s juice over the chicken and add the lemon into the chicken’s cavity
• Put the chicken in the oven breast first (so it faces the back) for 15 minutes
• Rotate the chicken so the legs are in the back of the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 350 F
• Remove the chicken from roasting when the thermometer reaches 162 F if the probe is in the breast, or 175 F if the prob is in the thigh
• Place the chicken on a sheet pan or carving board to rest for 15 minutes
• Check to see if the vegetables are finished cooking by piercing them with a knife or fork (if it slides in easy they should be ready); if the vegetables need more time, return them to the oven for 15 more minutes
• Carve the chicken and serve with the roast vegetables and any jus from the pan

Notes

• Repurpose leftovers: Once you’ve enjoyed the initial meal, the leftover roasted chicken can be repurposed in various ways. From classic chicken pot pie to mouthwatering sandwiches, hearty soups, or even salads, the options are endless. The bones of the roasted chicken can be utilized to make a rich and flavorful stock, which can be frozen and used as a base for future soups and stews.
• Cooking Times: When preparing the roast chicken, keep in mind that the cooking time may vary depending on the weight of the chicken. As a general guideline, it can take approximately 20 minutes per pound (450 grams) at a preheated oven temperature of 375°F (190°C). However, it’s crucial to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the meat to ensure it is fully cooked.
• Use a Meat Thermometer: Cooking time can vary, so it’s best to rely on an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness.
• Rest Your Meat!: Allow the roasted chicken to rest for a few minutes before carving to ensure the juices redistribute, resulting in moist and flavorful meat.
• Storage: Store leftover roasted chicken properly in the refrigerator and use within a few days or freeze.
• Save the Bones: Don’t discard the bones! Save them to make a homemade chicken stock that will elevate your future culinary creations.
• Pot Pie Recipe: Top leftovers with a creamy sauce and our Wheat Pie Crust to make a delectable Chicken Pot Pie.