There are central dishes, the heroes of the table, the stars of the show… and then there’s Garlic-Butter Roast Chicken. This is the dish that silences all conversation as everyone at the table admires the crispy golden-brown poultry, just dripping with savory flavor and coated with the richness of butter and the fragrance of garlic. Will anyone even remember there are side dishes or desserts when they see Garlic-Butter Roast Chicken glistening and juicy before them? More likely, they’ll reach for seconds and thirds!
Ingredients
- 1 (3.5-pound) whole chicken
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more, to taste, for seasoning the chicken
- black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 medium onion
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Step 2 –Remove the bag of giblets and the neck from the cavity of the chicken.
Step 3 –Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and season the inside and the outside of the chicken with the salt and the pepper, to taste.
Step 4 –Cut the onion in half and place the onion and the fresh thyme inside the cavity of the chicken. Tie the legs of the chicken together with kitchen twine.
Step 5 –In a small bowl, combine the butter, the olive oil, and the garlic with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the dried thyme and mix well.
Step 6 –Spread the butter mixture over the skin of the chicken.
Step 7 –Season the chicken again with the salt and the pepper, to taste.
Step 8 –Place the chicken into a cast-iron or ceramic baking dish.
Step 9 –Place the chicken in the oven and reduce the heat to 425 degrees F.
Step 10 –Bake the chicken until the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken reads at least 165 degrees F, about 45-55 minutes.
Step 11 –Allow the chicken to rest for 10-15 minutes.
Step 12 –Serve.
