Christmas Roast Chicken
Juicy Christmas roast chicken with orange, garlic and herb butter. An easy festive alternative to turkey, with golden crispy skin and delicious roasting juices for gravy.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 348kcal
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons of Butter room temperature
- 1 tablespoon of Orange zest
- 1 sprig of Rosemary finely chopped
- 1 sprig of Thyme finely chopped
- 2 g of Parsley finely chopped
- 2 Carrots chopped
- 1 Onion peeled and quartered
- 2 kg of Whole chicken
- ½ teaspoon of Fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon of Ground black pepper
- 1 Lemon quartered
- 2 Oranges quartered
- 2 cloves of Garlic peeled
- 250 ml of Chicken stock (use certified gluten free stock to ensure this recipe is gluten free)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.
- Make the butter coating: Mix 4 tablespoons of Butter (softened) with 1 tablespoon of Orange zest and 1 sprig of Rosemary, 1 sprig of Thyme and 2 g of Parsley (all finely chopped).
- Prepare the chicken: Put 2 Carrots and 1 Onion (both chopped) into a roasting tin.Pat 2 kg of Whole chicken dry with kitchen paper and place it breast-side up on top of the vegetables.
- Season the chicken: Carefully loosen the skin over the breasts using your fingers, being careful not to tear it. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon of Fine sea salt and 1 teaspoon of Ground black pepper.
- Flavour the chicken: Spread half of the herb butter underneath the chicken skin and the remaining butter over the outside.Place 2 Oranges and 1 Lemon (cut into wedges) and 2 cloves of Garlic inside the cavity without packing it too tightly.Put any wedges that won't fit into the roasting tin.
- Add the stock: Pour 250 ml of Chicken stock into the bottom of the tin, around the chicken.
- Cook the chicken: Roast uncovered for approximately 2 hours, until golden and cooked through. Start checking the temperature before the end of the cooking time, as ovens and chicken sizes vary.
- Check for doneness: Check that the chicken has reached at least 75°C (167°F) in the thickest parts, without the thermometer touching bone.
- Rest the chicken: Remove from the oven, loosely cover with foil and leave to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.
Notes
- Get the herb butter under the skin. Don't just spread it over the outside. Gently loosen the skin and spread the butter underneath for extra flavour. You can also rub a little inside the cavity.
- Don't skip the vegetables underneath. The carrots and onion lift the chicken off the bottom of the tin, help it roast more evenly and add flavour to the cooking juices.
- Pat the chicken skin dry. This helps the butter cling to the chicken and encourages a more golden finish.
- Don't overfill the cavity. Leave space around the orange, lemon and garlic for heat to circulate. Put any extra citrus wedges in the roasting tin.
- Use a meat thermometer. It's the most reliable way to check your Christmas chicken is cooked without drying it out.
- Don't skip resting. Leave the cooked chicken for 15-20 minutes before carving. It gives you time to finish the gravy and get the rest of Christmas dinner on the table.
Nutrition
Serving: 180g (approx) | Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 383mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fibre: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.01g | Vitamin A: 348IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg
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