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Herb-butter roast chicken for 5

A whole roast chicken with garlic, thyme and lemon-zest butter, served after a proper rest.

Recipe bywjf.morris
Roast dinnerBritishServes five
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Total time2 hr 45 min
DifficultyEveryday
Community ratingNew recipe
Per serving48.2g protein
Herb-butter roast chicken for 5 ready to serve
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Structure checkedAdaptive recipe data
Serves
5

Clear and checked

Method

Restoring cooking progress…
  1. 01

    Season the chicken

    5 minHands-onStart 165 min before serving

    Pat the chicken dry and season evenly with its salt, including the underside. Refrigerate uncovered while you prepare the butter. Wash your hands and clean the raw-chicken preparation area.

  2. 02

    Set the oven

    1 minHands-onStart 160 min before serving

    Set the oven to 200°C fan.

  3. 03

    Heat the oven

    20 minHands-off · check as directedStart 159 min before serving

    Allow about 20 minutes for the oven to reach 200°C fan. Wait for the temperature indication if it needs longer.

  4. 04

    Prepare the onion, garlic and herbs

    10 minHands-onStart 159 min before serving

    Cut the onion into thick wedges. Grate the garlic, finely grate the lemon zest and strip the thyme reserved for the butter. Keep the remaining thyme for the cavity.

  5. 05

    Make the herb butter

    5 minHands-onStart 149 min before serving

    Mix the softened butter with the grated garlic, lemon zest, chopped thyme and black pepper.

  6. 06

    Prepare the chicken

    8 minHands-onStart 144 min before serving

    Remove the chicken from the fridge. Put the onion in the roasting tin. Loosen the breast skin gently and spread most of the herb butter underneath it. Rub the remaining herb butter over the legs, lightly coat the outer skin with the oil and put the reserved thyme in the cavity.

  7. 07

    Clean the preparation area

    2 minHands-onStart 136 min before serving

    Wash your hands, utensils and work surfaces after handling raw chicken.

  8. 08

    Put the chicken in the oven

    3 minHands-onStart 134 min before serving

    Sit the chicken on a rack above the onion. Pour the roasting stock into the tin without wetting the skin and put the tin in the oven.

  9. 09

    Start the roast

    20 minHands-off · check as directedStart 131 min before serving

    Roast uncovered at 200°C fan for 20 minutes.

  10. 10

    Reduce the oven temperature

    1 minHands-onStart 111 min before serving

    Reduce the oven to 180°C fan and keep the chicken roasting.

  11. 11

    Continue roasting

    54 minHands-off · check as directedStart 110 min before serving

    Continue roasting at 180°C fan. The lower-temperature stage usually takes about 60–75 minutes overall, including the checks that follow. Check the tin occasionally and add a splash of stock or water if it threatens to burn.

  12. 12

    Check the chicken

    3 minHands-onStart 56 min before serving

    Start checking after about 75 minutes of total roasting. Probe the thickest breast and thigh without touching bone: both must reach 75°C and remain there for at least 30 seconds. If cooked, remove the chicken now and move the rest and carving steps earlier.

  13. 13

    Finish roasting if needed

    14 minHands-off · check as directedStart 53 min before serving

    If not yet cooked, continue roasting at 180°C fan and check again towards the end. Let the thermometer, rather than the timer, decide when the chicken is ready.

  14. 14

    Remove the cooked chicken

    3 minHands-onStart 39 min before serving

    Check the breast and thigh again. Once both meet the required temperature, transfer the chicken to a board and tent loosely with foil. Reserve the tin and juices if you want to make gravy separately. Extend roasting if necessary.

  15. 15

    Rest the chicken

    30 minHands-off · check as directedStart 36 min before serving

    Rest whole and loosely tented for 25–30 minutes before carving. Keep it in a warm place; avoid tightly wrapping the skin.

  16. 16

    Carve and serve

    6 minHands-onStart 6 min before serving

    Carve the rested chicken and serve on warm plates. Save the carving juices for gravy if making it separately.

Equipment check

4 items required

  • Fan oven
  • Roasting tin and rack
  • Board and carving knife
  • Digital food thermometer

Check the listed equipment and capacity before you start.

Recipe diagnostics

Checked before you cook.

Structurally checked

Probe both breast and thigh without touching bone: 75°C for at least 30 seconds.

Roast uncovered; use loose foil only if the skin browns before the meat is cooked.

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