Orange Herb Roasted Chicken

Amethyst · December 23, 2025, 11:22pm

Orange Herb Roasted Chicken

Time: 30 minutes mins prep + 2 hours hrs cook + 30 minutes mins resting
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients;

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped, plus 3 sprigs for baking chicken
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped, plus 3 sprigs for baking chicken
2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped, plus 3 sprigs for baking chicken
6 ½ pounds whole chicken, giblets removed
½ orange, quartered
1 head of garlic, top sliced off to expose the cloves
1 pinch salt, to taste
1 pinch black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a medium bowl, add unsalted butter, maple syrup, pomegranate juice, orange juice, orange zest, thyme, rosemary, and sage. Mix until mostly incorporated; it’s okay if some juice is still separated. Set bowl aside.

Place chicken on a clean work area, breast side up, and pat skin dry with paper towels. Starting at the lower cavity, gently separate and lift the skin from the breast and thigh meat, creating a pocket for the rub.

Set aside 1-2 tablespoons of prepared herb butter rub for later use. For the remaining herb butter mixture, gently massage it beneath the skin, covering the breast and thigh areas evenly. If desired, coat the top of the skin, too.

Fill the lower cavity with orange quarters, a head of garlic, and sprigs of herbs. Tie the legs together with cooking twine and tuck the wings under the chicken.

Place prepared chicken in a roasting pan and season the top of the skin with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bake chicken, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Note: As chicken cooks, watch for excessive browning. If necessary, cover the chicken with aluminum foil to protect the skin.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Use a basting brush to coat chicken with the remaining herb butter rub, then continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Repeat basting and cooking steps every 30-40 minutes until total cook time reaches 1.5-2 hours or chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Let the chicken rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Carefully remove and discard orange quarters, head of garlic, and herb sprigs from the chicken’s lower cavity.

Serve as desired.

Notes:

After the final basting, I often add an extra touch of seasoning and freshly chopped herbs before popping it back into the oven. Brushing can sometimes shift the seasonings unevenly, so this step ensures every mouthful is seasoned just right. It also emerges from the oven looking evenly coated and simply stunning.

For some eye-catching garnish, serve this roasted chicken with pomegranate seeds, fresh herbs, and orange slices.

Nutritional Facts:

Recipe courtesy of Homemade Hooplah.com