This isn't just any roast chicken, it's a roast chicken that is special enough for Christmas dinner. This Christmas chicken is moist and juicy on the inside, with a hint of citrus flavour, with a delicious crispy herb butter skin. A real show stopper!
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About this Christmas Chicken Recipe
I think roast chicken can be passed over when it comes to a Christmas dinner meat, but we are big fans of chicken for Christmas dinner. It's usually pretty cheap, it's big enough to feed a big family without too much leftovers and everyone likes it (in our house at least).
You can make a Christmas roast chicken a little more special with a good butter rub and a few extra ingredients. Chicken at Christmas can be a real crowd pleaser with this recipe.
If you are looking for some more Christmas roast meat recipes, why not try our Honey Roast Duck or Roast Turkey Breast?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken - We used a 2kg chicken for this Christmas roast chicken recipe and that will give enough enough for about 6 portions. A different sized chicken would need cooking times adjusted. Try to get the best quality chicken that you can, as you really can taste the difference. A free range organic chicken is the best option, however a high welfare chicken is a good affordable option.
- Butter - This is what the rest of the ingredients are mixed into, to coat the chicken and give it a real rich flavour.
- Orange and lemon - These add that lovely citrus flavour that feels really festive. They are stuffed into the chicken and give the chicken a wonderful infused citrus flavour.
- Carrots and onion - These are chopped and put in the baking tray so the chicken can sit on it.
- Garlic - Fresh cloves of garlic to stuff inside the chicken.
- Rosemary, thyme and parsley - The perfect mixture of herbs for a Christmas chicken. The woody rosemary and thyme blend well with the freshness of the parsley.
- Salt and pepper - Generously season.
- Stock - You can use vegetable or chicken stock, but we find that chicken stock gives a much richer flavour. The stock just adds to the juices which makes a delicious gravy.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Christmas Chicken
Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Step 1: Mix together the butter, herbs and orange zest.
- Step 2: Put the carrots and onions on a baking tray (a). Put the chicken on top of the and use your fingers to carefully loosen the skin by sliding it under the skin (b). Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 3: Spread half of the herb butter under the skin of the chicken and the rest all over the skin. Push the oranges, lemons and garlic into the bird's cavity. Pour the stock into the tray.
- Step 4: Roast for 2 hours.
Roast Chicken Cooking Time
The time your chicken takes to roast will depend on the size of your chicken. We used a 2kg chicken, which took 1 hour and 55 minutes at 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas mark 6.
You will know that your chicken is cooked when it has an internal temperature is 75°C/165°F (get yourself a good Meat Thermometer as they are a kitchen essential) or until juices run clear.
As a general rule, if cooking at gas mark 5, you cook a chicken for for 25 minutes per pound (450g) plus 10-20 minutes extra.
Pro Tip
Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before you are going to start prepping it, to allow it to come to room temperature.
How to Carve a Chicken
- To carve this Christmas chicken, take off the wings and set aside (you can add them to gravy for extra flavour which is a tip that I picked up from Jamie Oliver). Using a sharp knife, carefully cut down between the leg and the breast of the chicken. Cut through the joint and pull the leg off.
- Do the same on the other side of the chicken, and then cut each leg between the thigh and the drumstick. You will end up with four portions of dark meat and this can be moved onto the plate you will be serving all the chicken on.
- You now need to carve the rest of your chicken. Angle the knife along the breastbone and carve one side off, and then repeat with the other breast.
- Whatever you are left with, use your fingers to pull all the meat off as it will be easier than using a knife. Don't throw the carcass away, as this can be used to make homemade chicken stock.
Serving Suggestions
This epic Christmas chicken recipe is a must when it comes to a Sunday roast dinner. But, what is a Sunday roast without all the sides? And do we have some side dishes for you! Take a look of some of these that go perfectly with a roast chicken:
Also, take a look at our Christmas Dinner Meal Plan for more serving suggestions.
Storage
Store: You can store leftovers of Christmas chicken in an air tight container and it will keep well for up to 3 days.
Freeze: You can also shred the chicken and put it in a freezable container and it will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Defrost: You can defrost in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: Heat a little oil in a pan and heat through. You can also stir it into something like a pasta sauce and it will heat through in that.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Use a really good quality butter, as it's one of the main flavours for the rub.
- Try to always use fresh herbs if you can as they will have the best flavour. Dried herbs can be used if that's all you have though.
- Make sure to put the butter mixture under the skin and in the cavity as well. Don't just put it on top of the skin.
- Don't skip putting the chicken on top of the onion and carrot. This is so the air can circulate under the chicken and make sure it is evenly cooked.
- If your chicken starts to brown too quickly on top, you can add some foil loosely on top of it.
- For some extra flavour, add a splash of white wine to the bottom of the baking tray before it goes in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
See all those amazing juices in the pan that the chicken has been cooking in? Don't you dare throw them away! They are liquid gold and make the most amazing, rich, full of flavour gravy.
For a simple, quick and easy gravy we use really good quality store bought gravy granules. We then add the juices from the chicken pan to them and then top it up with the water from the boiled vegetables that we serve with the chicken, until it gets to your desired consistency (we love thick gravy).
You could also add some butter and flour to the juices in the pan and make your own homemade gravy from scratch. Or why not try our Onion Gravy recipe?
We love having leftovers of this chicken in the fridge as it has SO many uses. Sometimes we just roast a chicken to carve it up and keep in the fridge for meals. You can shred it up and add to sandwiches/wraps and salads or throw it into pasta dishes like our Leftover Chicken Pasta.
Why not use leftovers to make a chicken version of our Leftover Turkey Curry? You can also put it in our BBQ Chicken Salad, Chicken and Leek Pie, BBQ Chicken Pizza or Chicken Pasta Salad.
Yes, and if you are making this for Christmas then you are going to want to do as much in advance as you can. You can coat the chicken in the rub and put it in a roasting time and keep in the fridge. Remove it from the fridge 45 minutes before putting in the oven though.
More Chicken Recipes
If you've tried this Christmas chicken recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Christmas Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 kg (4.4 lb) of Chicken
- 4 tablespoons of Butter - room temperature
- 1 Lemon - quartered
- 2 Oranges - quartered
- 1 tablespoon of Orange zest
- 2 Carrots - chopped
- 1 Onion - peeled and quartered
- 2 cloves of Garlic - peeled
- 1 sprig of Rosemary - finely chopped
- 1 sprig of Thyme - finely chopped
- 2 g (0.5 tablespoons) of Parsley - finely chopped
- 1 pinch of Fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- 200 ml (0.75 cups) of Chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Mix together 4 tablespoons of Butter, 1 sprig of Rosemary, 1 sprig of Thyme, 2 g of Parsley and 1 tbsp of Orange zest.
- Put 2 Carrots and 1 Onion on a baking tray. Put 2 kg of Chicken on top of the and use your fingers to carefully loosen the skin by sliding it under the skin. Season with 1 pinch of Fine sea salt and ground black pepper.
- Spread half of the herb butter under the skin of the chicken and the rest all over the skin. Push 2 Oranges, 1 Lemon and 2 cloves of Garlic into the bird's cavity.
- Pour 200 ml of Chicken stock into the tray.
- Roast for 2 hours.
Recipe Tips
- Use a really good quality butter, as it's one of the main flavours for the rub.
- Try to always use fresh herbs if you can as they will have the best flavour. Dried herbs can be used if that's all you have though.
- Make sure to put the butter mixture under the skin and in the cavity as well. Don't just put it on top of the skin.
- Don't skip putting the chicken on top of the onion and carrot. This is so the air can circulate under the chicken and make sure it is evenly cooked.
- If your chicken starts to brown too quickly on top, you can add some foil loosely on top of it.
- For some extra flavour, add a splash of white wine to the bottom of the baking tray before it goes in the oven.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
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