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.
Table of Content
Do you like the combination of fruit and meat? Well, if you do, then you will love this recipe. Roasted chicken served alongside the most delicious roast baby potatoes, apples, peaches, and grapes.
Why make this roast chicken
- This is one dish you will enjoy every bit, right from the roast chicken through the roast veggies and fruits, and as well as gravy.
- Its a one pot roast, more like a one pot meal and bursting with flavor.
- The chicken gets its color and flavors from the tart balsamic vinegar and sweet maple syrup.
- The veggies and fruits are then roasted in the same pan juices of the chicken until they are fork-tender.
- And the gravy gets the flavor of it all, chicken, fruits and veggies.
- Most of the ingredients are simple and easy to find or pantry staples.
- Today, I am using a herb lemon butter marinade, but, no matter what marinade you use you can use the same process to roast a whole chicken in the oven successfully every single time.
- This chicken needs a roasting pan. If you don't want to use a roasting pan, you can also roast chicken in a roasting rack, Dutch oven, cast-Iron skillet, Or try chicken with stuffing
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 carrost, 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 apricos, 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.
Step by step 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 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.
Sides for roast chicken
- Mashed potatoes or Skinny Mashed Potatoes
- Oven-Baked Potato Wedges or Potato Chips
- Stovetop melting potatoes or parmesan crisp potatoes
- Homemade Onion and Rosemary Focaccia
- Roasted Red Pepper Garlic Tapenade (3 ingredients)
- Goats Cheese Crostini or no-knead bread with roasted garlic
- Garlic Parmesan Asparagus or sesame green beans
- Easy Swiss Chard or spinach potato patties or Leek Potato Patties
- Roasted Lemon Dill Potatoes - or garlic roasted potatoes
Frequently asked questions
How long will this balsamic roast chicken keep?
This chicken will keep in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 days. You can even freeze for a month if stored properly.
How do you know when the roast chicken is cooked?
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.
How do you keep a roast chicken moist?
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.
How long will a 4 lbs / 2 kg chicken take to roast?
As a guide, you roast the first 15 minutes at 220°C/ 425°F/ Gas Mark 7, then, reduce temperature to 165°C / 325°F Gas Mark 3. Calculate 20 minutes for every 1 lb ( 500 grams) of chicken until juices run clear or the internal temperature reaches 165°F / 75°C. So, for example, a 4 lbs/2 kg chicken would need about 95 minutes.
Using a meat thermometer is a great way to take the guesswork and omit any calculating time. All you do is stick the thermometer and check the internal temperature. It should be 165°F or 75°C in the thickest part of the thigh or 145 F in the breast.
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Printable Recipe
Maple Roast Chicken with Fruits and Veggies
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Coooking Temperature: 425°F / 220°C / Gas mark 7
Difficulty: Easy
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
- 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 teaspoon Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Rosemary ( Fresh -chopped finely)
- 2 tablespoon 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 tablespoon 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 tablespoon Flour
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 asidePro 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
- 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
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
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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