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Best Garlic Herb Roast Chicken — Easy Holiday Dinner

Golden, crispy garlic herb roast chicken with fresh garlic mashed into herb butter, white wine steam method for juicy breast meat, and a liquid gold pan drippings sauce the complete Christmas holiday dinner recipe in 90 minutes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Resting Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Christmas, Holiday Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 342
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Brine
  • 1 whole Chicken 4 to 4.5 lbs
  • ½ tsp Aluminum-Free Baking Powder optional significant crispiness upgrade
  • 1.5 tsp Kosher Salt
Holiday Garlic Herb Butter
  • 5 tbsp Unsalted Butter softened
  • 4 cloves Fresh Garlic mashed into paste not powder
  • 1.5 tsp Fresh Rosemary finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Thyme finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Fresh Tarragon the Christmas-specific herb
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Orange Zest the holiday upgrade
  • ½ tsp Lemon Zest
  • ½ tsp Black Pepper
  • ¼ tsp Salt
Cavity
  • 1 - Lemon halved
  • ½ - Orange cut into wedges
  • 1 head Garlic halved crosswise
  • 2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
  • 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
Roasting Pan
  • ¼ cup Dry White Wine Pinot Grigio or extra broth
  • ¼ cup Chicken Broth low-sodium
  • 1 - Yellow Onion quartered
  • 2 - Carrots roughly chopped
  • 2 stalks Celery roughly chopped
Pan Drippings Sauce
  • - - All Pan Drippings do not discard liquid gold
  • 1 tbsp Cold Butter whisked in at end for gloss
  • 1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
  • - - Salt and Pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Roasting Pan at least 12x16 inches
  • 1 Fine Mesh Strainer for pan drippings sauce
  • 1 Small Saucepan for sauce
  • 1 Instant Read Thermometer essential
  • 1 Kitchen Twine for trussing
  • 1 Carving Board with Groove for resting and carving

Method
 

Prep
  1. Dry Brine (Night Before) Pat chicken dry inside and out. Mix baking powder and salt. Apply over all external surfaces. Place on wire rack over sheet pan. Refrigerate uncovered overnight for maximum skin crispiness.
    A hand patting dry a whole chicken on a wire rack set over a sheet pan, prepared for Garlic Herb Roast Chicken.
  2. Make Holiday Herb Butter Mash garlic cloves with salt to form a paste. Combine with softened butter, all herbs, orange and lemon zest, pepper, and salt. Mix until completely combined.
    A bowl of freshly mixed herb butter with garlic, herbs, and citrus zest, prepared for Garlic Herb Roast Chicken.
  3. Apply Butter and Fill Cavity Remove chicken 30 to 45 minutes before roasting. Separate skin from breast and thigh meat. Apply two-thirds of butter under the skin directly against meat. Apply remaining butter over exterior keep garlic primarily under skin to prevent burning. Fill cavity with lemon, orange, garlic head, rosemary, and thyme.
    Applying herb butter under the chicken skin and stuffing the cavity with citrus and herbs for Garlic Herb Roast Chicken.
  4. Truss and Build Pan Truss legs. Scatter vegetables in roasting pan. Pour wine and broth over vegetables. Place chicken breast-side up on vegetables.
    A trussed whole chicken placed breast-side up on top of chopped vegetables and broth in a roasting pan, prepared for Garlic Herb Roast Chicken.
Roast
  1. Roast with Basting Schedule Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C), with rack in lower third. Roast based on weight; a 4 to 4.5 lb chicken will generally take about 75 to 90 minutes. Baste at 30 minutes and 60 minutes, then stop basting during the final 20 minutes so the skin can crisp. Use an instant-read thermometer and remove the chicken only when the thickest part of both the breast and thigh reaches 165°F (74°C).
    Roasting a whole chicken in the oven with scheduled basting for Garlic Herb Roast Chicken.
Rest and Sauce
  1. Rest Transfer to carving board. Rest uncovered 15 to 20 minutes. Use this time to make the pan drippings sauce.
    A roasted whole chicken resting on a wooden carving board surrounded by fresh herbs, prepared for Garlic Herb Roast Chicken.
  2. Pan Drippings Sauce Strain pan liquid into small saucepan. Skim most fat. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Add lemon juice. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in cold butter for gloss. Season to taste. Strain for smooth finish.
    A rich pan drippings sauce simmering in a saucepan, prepared for Garlic Herb Roast Chicken.
  3. Carve and Serve Remove legs at hip joint. Separate thighs from drumsticks. Slice breast meat. Squeeze roasted cavity garlic over carved meat. Garnish with fresh parsley, thyme sprigs, orange slices. Serve with pan drippings sauce alongside.
    A carved and garnished Garlic Herb Roast Chicken served on a platter with fresh herbs, orange slices, and a boat of pan drippings sauce.

Notes

Fresh garlic paste vs powder?
Fresh garlic mashed into paste penetrates the meat. Garlic powder sits on the surface. The difference in depth of flavor is significant and immediately noticeable.
Too much garlic on exterior skin?
Garlic burns on skin at high heat. Apply garlic-rich butter primarily under the skin the exterior can have a thin layer of plain herb butter.
 No wine?
Use ¼ cup additional broth plus 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar. The acidity performs a similar role.
Making ahead for Christmas?
Herb butter keeps 3 days refrigerated. Season and butter chicken day before. Roast Christmas day add 5 to 10 minutes to roasting time for cold chicken.
Pan drippings sauce secret?
Do not discard. The pan liquid after 90 minutes of roasting with garlic herb butter and wine is extraordinarily concentrated. It needs 5 minutes and almost nothing else.