Maple Roast Chicken

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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. Roasted chicken is served alongside the most delicious roast baby potatoes, apples, peaches, and grapes.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Chicken – You wanna choose a wholesome, 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.
• Balsamic – It’s Italian vinegar made from white wine pressings. Back in the old days, it used to be an ideal gift and favor. Some brands, I believe, have been fermented for over 100 years. It’s this aging process that makes balsamic vinegar often expensive.
• Maple – adds a wonderful flavor, especially when combined with balsamic. But, you can also use honey instead.
• Chicken stock – This is necessary so it will keep the chicken breast moist when flipped over.
• Veggies – I have used baby potatoes – you can use regular potatoes and cut them into 3 or 4 pieces. Other veggies such as carrots, parsnips, and sweet potato work too. Make sure they are cut into 2-inch pieces so they cook at the same times as the fruits.
• Fruits – I love adding apples, peaches, and grapes but you can use other seasonal fruits such as apricots, plums, and pears too. Use firm (not raw) fruits that can withstand some cooking and won’t fall apart easily.
• 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.

Balsamic Roast Chicken

• Preheat the oven at 425°F / 220°C / Gas mark 7
• Prep chicken – Clean and pat dry the chicken on all sides with paper towels. Remove excess fat or leftover feathers. While the chicken is dry use your finger to loosen the gap between the breast and the skin to fill the garlic butter marinade later
  Pro tip – A dry bird will give crispy skin. When possible leave the chicken uncovered in the fridge overnight. Loosening the skin under the breast now is easier than when it’s greasy with the oil.

• Lemon butter – In a small bowl combine butter, salt, pepper, garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, and lemon juice. Set aside
  Pro tip – the butter must be at room temperature so everything combines well otherwise you will have a lumpy compound butter.
• Maple marinade – In another small bowl combine the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Set aside

I Roast chicken

• Marinate the chicken – using a long spoon push half the lemon butter under the skin over the chicken breast, and press with your finger to spread all over the breast. (see video). Rub any remaining butter all over the chicken.
  Pro tip – this will keep the breast moist and give a nice color to the skin.
• Fill cavity and Truss – Fill the bird’s cavity with herbs, onion halves, lemon, and garlic halves. Tie or truss the legs with a butcher’s twine and tuck the wings under.
  Pro tip – these will perfume the bird from the inside and cook the bird evenly too.
• Roasting pan – Place the chicken in the roasting pan breast side up. Pour the maple marinade over the chicken. Place the remaining herbs in the roasting pan. Pour the chicken stock into the roasting pan, not over the chicken.
  Pro tip – pouring the maple and balsamic directly over the chicken will give a nice color to the bird. The broth or stock will prevent the maple syrup from burning during cooking.
• Roast – Transfer the roasting pan to the oven and roast basting with pan juices every 20 minuts.
  • roast the chicken for 15 minutes at 220°C/ 425°F/ Gas Mark 7
  • then reduce temperature to 165°C / 325°F Gas Mark 3.
  • continue roasting for a total of 90 to 95 minutes (approximately 20 minutes per pound /500 grams) or
  • until the juices run clear or the internal temperature is about 165°F or 75°C in the thickest part of the thigh or 145 F in the breast.
    Pro tip – basting gives the chicken a deeper color and more flavor from the balsamic and maple marinade.
• When you remove the chicken from the oven carefully take it out of the roasting pan onto a platter and tent it with a foil to keep warm – Set aside

II Roast vegetables and fruits

• We use the same roasting pan with the pan juices. Add the baby potatoes and chopped fruits (peached, apples, and grapes) and more fresh herbs (rosemary and thyme)
  Pro tip – remove any burnt and chard herbs so they do not impart a burnt flavor to the veggies.
• Roast the veggies 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.

III Make gravy

• Place the roasting pan on medium-low heat. Add the white wine (or stock/water) and deglaze the pan. Next, add the flour and cook on low until it thickens. Pour through a sieve/mesh and transfer to a sauce boat. Serve alongside the carved chicken and veggies.
  Pro tip – the sauce will thicken as it cools, if necessary add a little more hot water to bring it to a pouring consistency.

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.

Maple Roast Chicken with Fruits and Veggies

Author: Veena Azmanov

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Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Coooking Temperature: 425°F / 220°C / Gas mark 7

Calories: 791kcal

Adjust Servings Here: 8 servings

Description

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.

Video

Ingredients 

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• ▢ 4 lbs (2 kg) Chicken ((whole))
• ▢ ½ cup (120 ml) Chicken stock (or water or white wine)
• ▢ 3 sprigs Rosemary
• ▢ 3 sprigs Thyme

Lemon butter

• ▢ ¼ cup (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)

Maple marinade

• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) Balsamic vinegar
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) Maple syrup
• ▢ ¼ tsp  Salt
• ▢ ½ tsp  Pepper
• ▢ 2 cloves Garlic (sliced)
• ▢ 1 tbsp lemon juice

Vegetables and fruits for roasting

• ▢ 1 lb (450 g) Baby potatoes
• ▢ 2 Peaches chopped (chopped)
• ▢ 2 Apples chopped (chopped)
• ▢ 2 cups grapes
• ▢ 10 cloves Garlic (with skin on)

To fill the chicken cavity

• ▢ ½ Lemon (one lemon cut in half)
• ▢ ½ Onion (one med onion cut in half)
• ▢ ½ Garlic bulb (large bulb cut in half horizontally)
• ▢ 1 sprig Rosemary (Fresh)
• ▢ 1 sprig Thyme (Fresh)

Gravy

• ▢ 1 cup (240 ml) White wine (or water or stock)
• ▢ 1 tbsp Flour

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven at 425°F / 220°C / Gas mark 7
• Prep chicken – Clean and pat dry the chicken on all sides with paper towels. Remove excess fat or leftover feathers. While the chicken is dry use your finger to loosen the gap between the breast and the skin to fill the garlic butter marinade later

  Pro tip – A dry bird will give crispy skin. When possible leave the chicken uncovered in the fridge overnight. Loosening the skin under the breast now is easier than when it's greasy with the oil.
• Lemon butter – In a small bowl combine butter, salt, pepper, garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, and lemon juice. Set aside

  Pro tip – the butter must be at room temperature so everything combines well otherwise you will have a lumpy compound butter.
• Maple marinade – In another small bowl combine the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Set aside

I Roast chicken

• Marinate the chicken – using a long spoon push half the lemon butter under the skin over the chicken breast, and press with your finger to spread all over the breast. (see video). Rub any remaining butter all over the chicken.

  Pro tip – this will keep the breast moist and give a nice color to the skin.
• Fill cavity and Truss – Fill the bird's cavity with herbs, onion halves, lemon, and garlic halves. Tie or truss the legs with a butcher's twine and tuck the wings under.

  Pro tip – these will perfume the bird from the inside and cook the bird evenly too.
• Roasting pan – Place the chicken in the roasting pan breast side up. Pour the maple marinade over the chicken. Place the remaining herbs in the roasting pan. Pour the chicken stock into the roasting pan, not over the chicken.

  Pro tip – pouring the maple and balsamic directly over the chicken will give a nice color to the bird. The broth or stock will prevent the maple syrup from burning during cooking.
• Roast – Transfer the roasting pan to the oven and roast basting with pan juices every 20 minuts.

  – roast the chicken for 15 minutes at 220°C/ 425°F/ Gas Mark 7

  – then reduce temperature to 165°C / 325°F Gas Mark 3.

  – continue roasting for a total of 90 to 95 minutes (approximately 20 minutes per pound /500 grams) or

  – until the juices run clear or the internal temperature is about 165°F or 75°C in the thickest part of the thigh or 145 F in the breast.

  Pro tip – basting gives the chicken a deeper color and more flavor from the balsamic and maple marinade.
• When you remove the chicken from the oven carefully take it out of the roasting pan onto a platter and tent it with a foil to keep warm – Set aside

II Roast vegetables and fruits

• We use the same roasting pan with the pan juices. Add the baby potatoes and chopped fruits (peached, apples, and grapes) and more fresh herbs (rosemary and thyme)

  Pro tip – remove any burnt and chard herbs so they do not impart a burnt flavor to the veggies.
• Roast the veggies 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.

III Make gravy

• Place the tandard roasting rackroasting pan on medium-low heat. Add the white wine (or stock/water) and deglaze the pan. Next, add the flour and cook on low until it thickens. Pour through a sieve/mesh and transfer to a serving boat. Serve alongside the carved chicken and veggies.

  Pro tip – the sauce will thicken as it cools, if necessary add a little more hot water to bring it to a pouring consistency.

Recipe Notes & Tips

 

1. Weigh the chicken so you can calculate the baking time.
2. 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.
3. Thaw the chicken well before cooking. Chilled chicken results in uneven roasting.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Always season the chicken generously, perhaps a little more than you think it needs. and don’t forget to season the cavity.
7. If you can, tie/truss the chicken or at least tie the legs and tuck the wings under this makes for a better presentation.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.

Conversions Used

1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,

Nutrition Information

Calories: 791– kcalCarbohydrates: 41– gProtein: 50– gFat: 44– gSaturated Fat: 14– gCholesterol: 204– mgSodium: 489– mgPotassium: 1055– mgFiber: 4– gSugar: 21– gVitamin A: 835– IUVitamin C: 36– mgCalcium: 95– mgIron: 4– mg

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

Did you make this recipe? Share it with me.Tag @veenaazmanov on instagram or #hashtag it #veenaazmanov

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