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Juicy, golden honey roasted chicken with crispy glazed skin that is pure comfort! This roasted whole chicken recipe is made for Sunday dinner!
Table of Contents
- Ingredients for Honey Roasted Chicken
- How to Make Honey Roasted Chicken
- Why Put Lemon in a Roast Chicken?
- Is Roasting Different Than Baking?
- How Do You Keep Chicken from Drying Out When Roasting?
- What is the Best Way to Keep Chicken Moist?
- Can You Roast a Chicken in a Slow Cooker?
- Storage Tips for Roasted Chicken
- Watch How This Roasted Chicken is Made…
- Honey Roasted Chicken Recipe
Growing up my favorite meal was honey roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy (actually I ate it plain with butter most times) fresh corn and jello. Yup, I said jello. I requested this dinner every year for my birthday dinner. It was perfection.
Then I grew up and forgot all about roasted chicken. Why? Because buying boneless skinless chicken took over my life. It was easy to buy, easy to freeze and defrost and easy to cook up. But, then I remembered my long ago love for roasted chicken and found this recipe.
I mean hello! Just look at the beautiful golden, delicious skin! I love bringing back old favorites. Don’t you? So many memories.
Ingredients for Honey Roasted Chicken
For the Chicken
- Whole Chicken: You want a chicken that weighs 3-4 lbs. This is good healthy protein!
- Seasonings: Salt, Pepper, and Smoked Paprika
- Aromatics: Onion, Lemon, Garlic, Thyme Sprigs, and Parsley
- Butter: Gets mixed with the seasonings to rub all over the chicken under the skin.
- Egg: Brushed on the skin and helps the skin get crispy.
How to Make Honey Roasted Chicken
For the Honey Glaze
- Cornstarch: helps thicken the glaze
- Water: combines with the cornstarch to thicken the glaze
- Honey: adds natural sweetness, flavor and thickness to the glaze
- Apple Cider Vinegar: adds flavor and acidity
- Chicken Broth: adds flavor and is the bulk of the base for the glaze
- White Wine: you can use real wine, cooking wine or just double the chicken broth
- Thyme: adds flavor and freshness to the glaze
- Butter: adds richness
The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card down below. Keep scrolling for all the details!
Why Put Lemon in a Roast Chicken?
Lemon is a great aromatic that releases its flavor into the chicken as it roasts. It adds a delicious flavor to the meat along with the herbs, onions, garlic, etc.
Is Roasting Different Than Baking?
Roasting is done at a higher temperature (400°F and above) to create a browned, flavorful “crust” on the outside of the food.
Baking is done at a lower temperature.
Roasting is usually done in an opened, uncovered pan, and foods that are baked are usually covered.
How Do You Keep Chicken from Drying Out When Roasting?
My top tip for keeping chicken moist while roasting is to truss the chicken. Getting the wings and legs tucked into the chicken keep them from getting dry.
Another great tip is to have an instant read thermometer on hand and check the internal temperature of the chicken thighs and breasts. You want a temperature of 165 degrees F on both areas of the chicken. You can even pull the chicken out of the oven around 160 degrees F and it will come to temperature as it rests. Don’t let it roast too long!
What is the Best Way to Keep Chicken Moist?
Resting the chicken when it comes out of the oven is key to having a juicy moist chicken. The juices in meat redistribute while it rests and keeps all the juices inside the chicken rather than immediately cutting into the meat and losing all the juices on the cutting board.
Can You Roast a Chicken in a Slow Cooker?
You can absolutely roast a whole chicken in a slow cooker.
It usually takes 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
Storage Tips for Roasted Chicken
Chicken should be covered and refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking.
Roasted chicken stores the best cut off the bone and sliced. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days.
It also freezes really well. Place the chicken pieces in an airtight container or ziploc bag and store in the freezer. It will keep for up to 2 months.
Chicken can be reheated in the microwave or oven. I’ve found that reheating it in the oven in a covered baking dish with a little chicken broth in the dish helps the chicken stay moist.
You’re going to feel like you’ve stepped into grandma’s kitchen for Sunday dinner when you smell, see and taste this honey roasted chicken! The flavors are familiar and pure nostalgia for me. Let us walk you through each step of roasting a whole chicken! It couldn’t be easier!
Watch How This Roasted Chicken is Made…
Honey Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1/2 Tablespoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 3 1/2-4 Pounds Whole Chicken, giblets discarded
- 1 Onion, small, quartered
- 1 Lemon, halved
- 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- Thyme
- Parsley
- 2 Tablespoons Butter, melted
- 1 Egg
For the Honey Glaze
- 1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 1/2 Cup Water, plus 1/2 tablespoon
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth, low sodium
- 1/2 Cup White Wine, cooking
- 1 teaspoons Thyme, dried
- 1 Tablespoon Butter, cut into pieces and chilled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and move the rack to the center position.
- In a small bowl combine the salt, pepper and paprika. Divide it in half. Whisk half of the spice mixture with the melted butter. Whisk the other half with the egg.1/2 Tablespoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika, 2 Tablespoons Butter, 1 Egg
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and stuff the cavity of the chicken with the onion, lemon, garlic and fresh herbs. Gently pour the spice/butter mixture under the skin, rubbing it into the meat. I like to pour it under the skin, place the skin back down and spread my hand over the skin to push it around.3 1/2-4 Pounds Whole Chicken, 1 Onion, 1 Lemon, 4 Cloves Garlic, Thyme, Parsley
- Using a pastry brush, spread the spice/egg mixture all over the outside of the chicken.
- Truss the chicken with kitchen twine to ensure even cooking without burning of those little wings! See video.
- Stir the cornstarch and 1/2 tablespoon of water together in a small bowl until no lumps remain; set aside.1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch
- In a small saucepan bring the honey and 2 tablespoons of vinegar to a simmer over medium-high heat.1/4 Cup Honey, 2 1/2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- Cook until the mixture is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the glaze.
- Return to a simmer and cook for one minute. Set aside.
- Arrange the chicken on a V-rack set inside a roasting pan or on a cooling rack over a casserole dish.
- Roast until the chicken is golden, about 35 minutes.
- Remove the roasting pan from the oven.
- Pour the broth and cooking wine into the roasting pan. Brush the chicken evenly with a thick layer of the glaze (you’ll have some remaining to brush on later).1/2 Cup Water, 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth, 1/2 Cup White Wine
- Return the roasting pan to the oven and continue to roast until the glaze is golden brown, about 30 minutes longer until the thigh meat registers 165 to 170 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes to ensure that the juices redistribute and settle. If you cut too soon all of the juices will run out and you will be left with a dry bird.
- While the chicken is resting, pour pan juices and any accumulated chicken juices into a saucepan and skim any fat. Stir in the thyme.1 teaspoons Thyme
- Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablspoon water if you want it extra thick.
- Pull off the heat and whisk in the butter and remaining vinegar.1 Tablespoon Butter, 2 1/2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Carve the chicken, and brush with the remaining glaze. Serve, passing the sauce at the table.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What can use in place of thyme? It is the only thing I don’t have on hand.
Hi Rebecca, you can totally use basil or even marjoram would be good.
Hello, and thank u for making such a common dish exciting again!!! I will say my nephew loves it because he was looking for something a little more health conscious without frying so the skin is Great for him, but his grandma gives me a hard time cause she would prefer a softer skin due to her dental situation so…..tonight I’m going to try n cover it at some point and see if that creates softer skin. Please wish me luck, I really love the taste of this recipe!
Thank you for your comment. We are so glad you enjoy these and I have some help for you! Covering will definitely help to soften the skin but you can also add a little water or broth to the pan which will keep them super tender. Not enough to boil them, just a little to the pan to help steam them. 🙂
I tried, I liked and I ate!!
I used boneless breast.It was GOOD.
Oh, so glad to know the boneless breast worked so well.
I just made this for dinner and it was awesome! The family liked it and was asking for more. I made it with four leg quarters instead of a chicken, and turned out great. This will be on our regular dinner rotation.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. 🙂
Sheila, what a great idea! I’l have to try it with leg quarters too!
Great recipe! I was looking for an apples/honey roasted chicken recipe for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish new year), and found this. It was delicious! I made a few small additions/substitutions… I stuffed the bird with cut up apples, for one, and then placed more apples plus some mini potatoes around the bird during the second half of roasting (when the liquid goes in). Also, since I didn’t have any lying around, I left out the cornstarch and instead used gluten-free flour for the glaze, but it seized up on my and turned into candy, so I had to add much more liquid and honey to get it to soften up again. But it ended up being perfect. At the end, I poured the pan juices into the leftover glaze to make the sauce. Delish!
Rebecca,
What a fantastic addition with the apples!!
Can this meal be frozen and saved in the freezer. We are down to a 2 person house.
Hi William,
I guess it all depends on preference. I’m not a big fan of already cooked meats frozen, but I know others that do it all the time.
This looks awesome. Is there a way to convert this to a slow-cooker recipe? This would be perfect for when my in-laws arrive from overseas, but I need a slow cooker recipe b/c their arrival time can vary so much!
Hi Sandra,
I’m sure you could. I have not tried it so I can’t guarantee results, but I would try cooking it for 7 3/4 hours on low in the slow cooker and then the last 15-20 minutes in the oven to crisp up that skin. Or you could skip the oven all together and only use the slow cooker but the skin wont be the same.
Saw this recipe this afternoon and it sounded so good I decided to make it for dinner tonight…..HOLY SMOKES!!! Unbelievably good!!! You never disappoint!
Saw this recipe this afternoon and is sounded so good I decided to make it for dinner tonight…..HOLY SMOKES!!! Unbelievably good!!! You never disappoint!
No way!! THat is so awesome and thank you so much for the love!
Why won’t you tell us what step 11 is?
oh! haha, I just hit enter twice. There isn’t a missing step .