This roast chicken is flavored with maple syrup and balsamic vinegar. Accompanied by baby potatoes and grapes, which add a wonderful fruity flavor to the final gravy. Also, the leftover chicken, if any, makes the most delicious sandwiches and wraps.
Do you like the combination of fruit and meat? Well, if you do, then you will love this recipe. It is served alongside the most delicious roast baby potatoes, apples, peaches, and grapes.
I can't believe we are almost close to the end of the year. In a few weeks we will celebrate Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and before you know it, Christmas will be upon us. I must admit, this year has been quite fastpaced for me. I feel like I have so much to share with you, but the days keep moving much quicker than I can actually post them.
Remember recently, I told you I must share with you a few more of my souffle recipes, well, the other thing I really want to share with you is my roast chicken recipes. I say this very modestly, and I hope you will believe me, but I make some of the most delicious roast chicken recipes.
Table of Content
About this recipe
This is one dish you will enjoy to eat every bit, right from the roast chicken through the roast veggies and fruits, and as well as gravy. The gravy is to die for.
This roast chicken gets the color and flavors from the tart balsamic vinegar and sweet maple syrup, as well as from the garlic and fresh herbs. The veggies and fruits are then roasted in the same pan juices of the chicken until they are fork-tender.
The finale' - The gravy is bursting with flavors from the chicken juices, balsamic and maple marinade and herb butter as well as from all the fruit juices in the second bake. Can you even consider skipping on this gravy? Trust me, even if you are not a gravy person this is one you will enjoy.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Chicken - You wanna choose a healthy, not bony, chicken when roasting the whole chicken. So, even if you are fewer people to eat it's best to choose a bigger bird and have leftovers. The small ones tend to dry out because they do not have enough meat on the bones.
- Herbs - It's got to be fresh. Make that trip to the supermarket if you have to but when it comes to roast chicken - fresh herbs are the way to go.
- Lemon juice - I've used it in both the marinade as well as in the cavity. And yet it's not overpowering. So, go ahead and use a little more if you prefer.
- Butter - I do like olive oil, and yet the butter on the breast keeps the breast nice and moist. Olive oil works too, but if possible I highly recommend butter.
- Chicken stock - This is necessary so it will keep the chicken breast moist when flipped over.
- Veggies - I have used only baby potatoes - you can use regular potatoes too - just adjust the baking time according.
- Fruits - I make this for Thanksgiving almost every year and apples, peaches and grapes are still in season. So, I use seasonal fruits. If you make this at another time of year, use fruits that are in season then. I have tried apricots, cranberries, and figs as well as pears.
- White wine - Love using white wine for gravy. But this time we had guests who could not consume wine so I added water. You can add stock as well.
Video and step by step instructions (pin)
- Preheat the oven at 190C / 380 F.
- Clean and pat dry the chicken thoroughly. Remove any excess fat from inside. Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper
- Compound butter - In a small bowl combine the butter and all the other ingredients for the compound butter.
- Loosen the skin under the breast and gently fill the gap with compound butter. Brush any remaining butter over the chicken.
- Fill the bird's cavity with the herbs, onion, lemon, and half garlic. Tie the legs with a butcher's twine and tuck the wings under. Place the chicken in the roasting pan breast side up
- Marinade - In a bowl combine the balsamic marinade ingredients. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Place the remaining herbs in the roasting pan.
- Lastly, pour the chicken stock into the roasting pan, not over the chicken. Place the roasting pan in the oven.
Tip- the stock in the pan will prevent the butter and maples syrup from burning in the oven - Roast the chicken for 15 minutes at 220 C / 440 F – then reduce temperature to 180 C / 390 F. Bake for 80 to 90 minutes until the juices run clear basting the chicken every 15 to 20 minutes.
Tip - basting gives the chicken a deeper color and more flavor from the balsamic and maple marinade - As a guide, you bake the first 15 minutes at 220C/ 450 F, then calculate 20 minutes for every 1 lb or 500 grams chicken at 180 C/ 360 F. Of course, the best guide is until juices run clear or the internal temperature reaches 165 F / 75 C.
Tip - The foolproof method would be to use a meat thermometer. The temperature should reach 165 F or 75 C in the thickest part of the thigh or 145 F in the breast. - Remove the chicken from the oven and tent it with a foil – Set aside
Bake vegetables and fruits
- To the same roasting rack with the remaining marinade. Remove any burnt and chard herbs.
- Add the baby potatoes and chopped fruits (peached, apples, and grapes). Add more fresh herbs.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until fork-tender. When done, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon leaving all the juices behind for the gravy.
Gravy
- Place the rack on medium-low heat. Add the white wine and deglaze the pan
- Next, add the flour and cook until it becomes thick. If necessary add more stock or water. Strain through a sieve and pour into a sauceboat.
- Serve warm with chicken.
How to carve a chicken
- Once roasted always tent the chicken and let rest for at least 15 minutes otherwise all the juices will flow out leaving the chicken dry.
- First, cut the two quarters at the hip joint. When cooked, this does not need any effort. Each quarter can then be cut into thigs and legs giving you four generous pieces.
- For the breast, find the centerline. Place a sharp knife on one side of that line and press down firmly. This will crack the ribs. Do the same on the other side. This will make removing the center bone easy.
Then, carve against the bone with a sharp paring knife. It is easy if you follow the rib cage giving you two perfect breast pieces. - While you will get 6 generous pieces the rest of the chicken has lots of meat on it. In fact, some of the most flavorful bits are around the bones. So, do not throw the chicken and bones.
- Use the bones to make stock and use the leftover chicken for sandwiches, wraps and chicken pot pie kinda dishes.
Frequently asked questions
This chicken will keep in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 days. You can even freeze for a month if stored properly.
The most common method to check for doneness in roast chicken is when the chicken juices run clear with no traces of blood. The foolproof method would be to use a meat thermometer and insert it in the thickest part of the thigh. The temperature should reach 165 F or 75 C.
While we blast the chicken initially for a nice color it also helps to reduce the heat and cook at a lower temperature.
Basting the chicken a few times during cooking helps keep the chicken moist (but don't open the oven door too often as the oven temperature reduces every time you open it).
Loosely tent the chicken after roasting. This will keep the moisture in the chicken.
Do not cut the chicken for at least 15 minutes after you take it out of the oven - so the juices stay in keeping the chicken moist.
This roast chicken has wonderful veggies to go on the side. But if you choose not to make the veggies this balsamic roast chicken works great with a few side dishes like:
Skinny Mashed Potatoes
Oven-Baked Potato Wedges
Oven-Baked Potato Chips
Leek Potato Patties
Homemade Onion and Rosemary Focaccia
Roasted Red Pepper Garlic Tapenade (3 ingredients)
Roasted Red Peppers Goats Cheese Crostini
Garlic Parmesan Asparagus
Easy Swiss Chard Patties
Roasted Lemon Dill Potatoes
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Recipe
Description
Video
Ingredients
- 4 lbs (2 kg) Chicken (whole)
- ½ cup (250 ml) Chicken stock or water
- 3 sprigs Rosemary
- 3 sprigs Thyme
Compound butter
- 2 oz (60 g) Butter
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
- 2 tbsp Rosemary Fresh -chopped finely
- 2 tbsp Thyme Fresh - chopped finely
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
Marinade
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Maple syrup
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp ) Pepper
- 2 cloves Garlic sliced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Vegetables and fruits for roasting
- 1 lb (450 g) Baby potatoes
- 2 (300 g) Peaches chopped chopped
- 2 (364 g) Apples chopped chopped
- 2 cups (300 g) grapes
- 10 cloves Garlic with skin on
For the cavity
- ½ Lemon
- ½ Onion
- ½ Garlic bulb
- 1 sprig Rosemary Fresh
- 1 sprig Thyme Fresh
Gravy
- 1 cup (250 ml) white wine or water or stock
- 1 tbsp flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 190C / 380 F.
- Clean and pat dry the chicken thoroughly. Remove any excess fat from inside. Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper
- Compound butter - In a small bowl combine the butter and all the other ingredients for the compound butter.
- Loosen the skin under the breast and gently fill the gap with compound butter. Brush any remaining butter over the chicken.
- Fill the bird's cavity with the herbs, onion, lemon, and half garlic. Tie the legs with a butcher's twine and tuck the wings under. Place the chicken in the roasting pan breast side up
- Marinade - In a bowl combine the balsamic marinade ingredients. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Place the remaining herbs in the roasting pan.
- Lastly, pour the chicken stock into the roasting pan, not over the chicken. Place the roasting pan in the oven.Tip- the stock in the pan will prevent the butter and maples syrup from burning in the oven
- Roast the chicken for 15 minutes at 220 C / 440 F – then reduce temperature to 180 C / 390 F. Bake for 80 to 90 minutes until the juices run clear basting the chicken every 15 to 20 minutes.Tip - basting gives the chicken a deeper color and more flavor from the balsamic and maple marinade
- As a guide, you bake the first 15 minutes at 220C/ 450 F, then calculate 20 minutes for every 1 lb or 500 grams chicken at 180 C/ 360 F. Of course, the best guide is until juices run clear or the internal temperature reaches 165 F / 75 C.Tip - The foolproof method would be to use a meat thermometer. The temperature should reach 165 F or 75 C in the thickest part of the thigh or 145 F in the breast.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and tent it with a foil – Set aside
Bake vegetables and fruits
- To the same roasting rack with the remaining marinade. Remove any burnt and chard herbs.
- Add the baby potatoes and chopped fruits (peached, apples, and grapes). Add more fresh herbs.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until fork-tender. When done, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon leaving all the juices behind for the gravy.
Gravy
- Place the rack on medium-low heat. Add the white wine and deglaze the pan
- Next, add the flour and cook until it becomes thick. If necessary add more stock or water. Strain through a sieve and pour into a sauce boat.
- Serve warm with chicken.
Recipe Notes
- Weigh the chicken so you can calculate the baking time.
- Pat dry the chicken before you marinate. Time permitting, leave the chicken uncovered in the fridge for 8 hours. The fridge does a great job of drying the skin.
- Thaw the chicken well before cooking. Chilled chicken results in uneven roasting.
- Leave the skin on when roasting the whole chicken even if you are not going to eat the skin. The skin prevents the meat from drying out and overcooking. Remove excess fat as much as you can.
- Loosen the skin of the chicken on the breast this will allow you to add as much seasoning as possible. Use butter, spices or herbs on the breast as this prevents the breast from drying out.
- Always season the chicken generously, perhaps a little more than you think it needs. and don't forget to season the cavity.
- If you can, tie/truss the chicken or at least tie the legs and tuck the wings under this makes for a better presentation.
- Use a roasting pan to roast chicken. If you don't have a roasting pan, scrunch up some foil and make a circle or prop the chicken on a few cut veggies like onions and root veggies. This helps air circulate all around the chicken.
- When baked, always tent the chicken and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. This lets all the juices settle in the meat. If you cut too soon the juices will flow out and the chicken will be dry.
- Invest in a meat thermometer, these are very inexpensive these days. A meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of any roast and is the best way to know if the chicken is cooked perfectly.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Beth
The glaze on this chicken is just gorgeous and this maple-balsamic flavoring is going to be my next way of preparing a whole bird. As always, your many notes and tips are so helpful.
Jo Allison
Oh wow, I love balsamic and maple flavours and that herb butter sounds fantastic! With your helpful plan of action preparing the roast with all the sides etc. is a doddle! 🙂
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Jo. Yes, this one is definitely a doodle