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Maple Butter Whole Roasted Chicken

Want to wow your family, your guests, or just… yourself? Then look no further than this easy Maple Butter Roast Chicken! Whole roasted chicken with a sweet and buttery “glaze” is baked with a succulent medley of cold-weather veggies and tangy tomatoes. So good!

overhead close up shot of a whole roasted chicken served over veggies


 

Easy Whole Roasted Chicken Dinner

I love cooking with chicken, don’t you? It’s so versatile! From bone-in thighs with crispy skin, to the perfect air-fried chicken tenders, chicken has a lot to offer.

But if you’ve tried my EASY Roast Chicken Recipe, then you know that one of my all-time, absolute favorite ways to prepare chicken is simply to roast one whole bird, with a blend of amazing flavors.

My irresistible Maple Butter Whole Roasted Chicken is a mouthwatering masterpiece that elevates the traditional roast chicken experience with its delectable blend of sweet and savory flavors. The star of this dish is the luxurious maple butter glaze, which infuses the succulent chicken with a rich, caramel-like sweetness while also creating a beautifully crispy skin.

This chicken is a memorable culinary delight that will have everyone coming back for seconds, perfect for special occasions, family dinners, or just an indulgent weekend treat. In the Fall especially, whole roasted chicken is just so homey and amazing to bring to the table – and this one with maple syrup, butter, and roast veggies is so seasonally on point!

overhead shot of a whole roast chicken served on an oval plate with variety of vegetables

How To Clean and Prepare a Whole Chicken

It’s actually very easy to clean and prep a whole chicken. First, if your chicken includes a package of giblets inside, remove that. You can toss them, or save them for another use. Then, place the chicken in your prepared baking dish, season it, and tie the legs together. It’s also a good idea to tuck the wings underneath the back of the bird to prevent scorching. Done!

Some folks wash their chicken with water before cooking, but I generally don’t recommend this. It’s not really necessary and it increases your risk of food poisoning because the water can splash on your counter, arms, clothing, etc.

compound maple butter in a glass mixing bowl

Roast Chicken Ingredients

For the Chicken:

  • A Whole Chicken: You’ll need a 3 to 3.5 pound whole broiler-fryer chicken.
  • Butter: 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened.
  • Pure Maple Syrup: You can substitute sugar-free or keto maple syrup.
  • Fresh Garlic: Mince the garlic or put it through a garlic press.
  • Fresh Thyme and Oregano Leaves: Remove any stems and chop the leaves lightly.
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Lemon: Cut the lemon into 4 wedges
  • Fresh Thyme and Oregano Sprigs: No need to stem or chop, just rinse and pat dry.

For the Vegetables:

  • Tomatoes: I like cherry tomatoes, but you can substitute whatever tomatoes are freshest and cut them into bite-sized pieces, if needed.
  • Potatoes: Any waxy potato in bite-sized pieces will work, but I prefer baby potatoes.
  • Onion: You can use any type of onion, cut into wedges.
  • Broccoli and Cauliflower Florets: If you don’t have one or the other, you can use all broccoli, or all cauliflower.
  • Olive Oil
close up shot of chopped up broccoli, onions, cherry tomatoes, potatoes, and cauliflower

How To Roast a Whole Chicken

This whole roasted chicken recipe couldn’t be easier to make. With just a bit of prep you can pop it into the oven and let your chicken cook. By the way, this makes your house smell amazing while roasting.

  1. Prep the Oven, Pan, and Chicken. Preheat oven to 450˚F. Remove any giblets from inside the cavity of the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the breast-side up on a rack set over a jelly roll pan, or inside a roasting pan.
  2. Make the Seasoning Mixture: In a mixing bowl combine softened butter, maple syrup, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
  3. Dress the Chicken: Using your fingers, or the handle of a wooden spoon, carefully loosen the skin on the chicken breasts and thighs. Rub half of the butter mixture under the skin, spreading it all around and to the thighs. Rub the rest of the butter mixture on top of the skin. Add a bit of salt and cracked black pepper inside the cavity; then fill the cavity with lemon wedges, thyme sprigs, and oregano sprigs.
  4. Truss and Roast the Chicken: Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together and tuck the wings under the body of the chicken. Roast the chicken, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  5. Prep and Add the Veggies: In the meantime, combine all the veggies in a mixing bowl and add olive oil; toss to coat. Remove the chicken from the oven and add the vegetables to the pan.
  6. Finish Roasting: Lower the oven temperature to 350˚F. Continue to roast the chicken for 1 more hour, or until internal temperature reaches 165˚F. Stir veggies halfway through cooking. Remove chicken from oven and let rest 10 minutes.
raw whole chicken rubbed with butter and tied at the legs

How To Roast Vegetables

It really doesn’t get much simpler than roasting veggies! Just choose your veggies, cut them up, and toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then roast until they’re tender and browned — so simple! I’ve already written a whole post on it if you’d like more specifics! Roasted vegetables really are an easy, super-delicious side dish, so go all out!

up-close overhead shot of a whole roasted chicken

What To Serve With Whole Roast Chicken

  • Appetizer Ideas: I love to start off a meal like this with something a bit luxurious as an appetizer. These scrumptious Caprese Stuffed Mushrooms are absolutely perfect! It’s almost like a luscious, decadent, low-carb bruschetta. Yum!
  • Bet on Bread: I find that whole roast chickens often create a lovely pan sauce all their own, so it’s nice to serve up a homemade quick bread to soak up that yumminess. Try my Soda Bread in a Skillet, or Light Skillet Cornbread, for the perfect rustic touch. An easy flatbread would also be amazing on the side.
  • Chocolate? Check! A nice dessert is always appropriate, right? Try this wonderful Chocolate Pumpkin Bread! It’s such an easy and rewarding bake for cold weather!
side shot of plated whole roasted chicken

How To Store and Reheat Chicken

  • To refrigerate, simply cover the leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
  • To freeze, remove the chicken meat from the bones and discard the bones, or save them for broth. Wrap the meat tightly in plastic wrap, or store in freezer bags, pushing out as much air as possible before sealing. Freeze for up to 3 months. Freeze roasted vegetables separately, in airtight containers or freezer bags, for up to 3 months.
  • To reheat, first thaw the chicken and/or veggies separately in the refrigerator (if frozen). Reheat in the oven, covered, at 350˚F until just heated through. Do not overcook.

More Whole Chicken Recipes

ENJOY!

overhead close up shot of a whole roasted chicken served over veggies

Maple Butter Roast Chicken with Vegetables

Katerina | Diethood
A whole roast chicken flavored with savory herbs, sweet maple syrup, and butter.
5 from 16 votes
Servings : 6
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken:
  • 1 whole broiler-fryer chicken, 3 to 3.5 pounds
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
  • ½ tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 small lemon, cut into 4 wedges
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 4 fresh oregano sprigs
For the Vegetables:
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1 pound baby potatoes, quartered
  • 1 large yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges
  • ½ pound broccoli florets
  • ½ pound cauliflower florets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 450˚F.
  • Remove giblets from inside the cavity of the chicken. Thoroughly pat dry chicken with paper towels.
  • Place the chicken breast-side UP on a rack set over a jelly roll pan or inside a roasting pan. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl combine softened butter, maple syrup, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
  • Using your fingers, or the handle of a wooden spoon, carefully loosen the skin on the chicken breasts and thighs.
  • Rub HALF of the butter mixture under the skin, spreading it all around and to the thighs.
  • Rub the rest of the butter mixture on top of the skin.
  • Add a bit of salt and cracked black pepper inside the cavity; fill the cavity with lemon wedges, 4 thyme sprigs, and 4 oregano sprigs.
  • Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together.
  • Tuck the wings under the body of the chicken.
  • Roast the chicken, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  • In the meantime, combine all the veggies in a mixing bowl and add olive oil, salt, and pepper; toss to coat.
  • Remove chicken from oven and add the vegetables to the pan.
  • Lower oven temperature to 350˚F.
  • Continue to roast the chicken for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165˚F. Use an Instant Read Thermometer to check for doneness. Start checking at the 55-minute mark.
    Stir veggies halfway through cooking.
  • Remove chicken from oven and let rest 10 to 12 minutes before cutting.
  • Cut and serve.

Notes

  • To reduce carbs, remove the potatoes and use Sugar-Free Maple Syrup.
    • Leaving out the potatoes and onions, and using sugar-free maple syrup, will amount to 10 carbs per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 501 kcal | Carbohydrates: 29 g | Protein: 25 g | Fat: 33 g | Saturated Fat: 13 g | Cholesterol: 112 mg | Sodium: 519 mg | Potassium: 932 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 8 g | Vitamin A: 1008 IU | Vitamin C: 93 mg | Calcium: 71 mg | Iron: 3 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to roast a chicken, oven roasted chicken, whole roasted chicken
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34 comments on “Maple Butter Whole Roasted Chicken”

  1. The smallest chicken I could find at the store was 7 lbs. Should I wait until halfway through the cooking time to add the veggies, so they don’t overcook and get burnt/mushy?

  2. This was SO juicy and tender. I made this for Christmas Eve dinner, I roasted garlic in the pan with the chicken and put cut up pieces of lemon inside. I modified the butter mixture a bit, adding curry powder. The maple syrup in this is A BRILLIANT idea, it adds a sweetness and the pan drippings made the most delicious cider gravy. I cooked it for about 2 hours, starting from 450, dropping to 375 and then 350 gradually. I served this with mashed potatoes and it was amazing. We’re gonna do this for New Years Eve too. This recipe is our new go to.

  3. Avatar photo
    Annette E. Giovia

    I made this chicken tonite to serve tomorrow night. Once its done cooking, do I refrigerate itimmediately or get it to room temp. Also, how long do I reheat it for and at what temp.? Can’t wait to eat this yummy looking chicken!!

    1. Katerina - Diethood
      Katerina Petrovska

      Hi!
      Yes, you will want to get it to room temperature and then put away in the fridge until ready to use. Reheat it in the oven at 400˚F for about 15 minutes, or until heated through. Keep in mind that it’s only safe to reheat chicken one time. You can not reheat it again. Any leftovers should be discarded.

  4. This looks delicious. I’ve been wanting to make this for the past week but cannot seem to find kitchen twine anywhere (such an odd thing for stores to be sold out of!) is it TOTALLY necessary to tie the legs together? I’m assuming the goodies on the inside will eventually fall out if not tied together?

    Also, would it work if I covered the chicken in the maple syrup and butter the night before and cook it the next afternoon? My boyfriend works from home and does NOT like to cook haha. This way I can prep the chicken the night before and he can just plop it in the oven for me before I get home.

    Thank you! 🙂

    1. Katerina - Diethood
      Katerina Petrovska

      Hi!
      Tying the legs helps keep the wings and breasts from drying out when cooking. Is it totally necessary? No, you can do without it.

      Yep! You can definitely prep the chicken the night before. 😊

  5. I made this Saturday night, exactly as written except I used brussel sprouts and carrots instead of tomatoes and cauliflower (it’s what I had). It was fantastic, I would not change a thing. Thank you!

  6. From Tanzania,i have been following up your recipes and what i can say is that they are really amazing so great, can’t wait to try this one out

  7. I can’t wait to make this tonight! Silly question- do you leave the chicken in the oven when you bring the temperature down to 350, or remove it until it gets to 350 and then put it back in? I wasn’t sure if it would alter the cook time. Thank you for a wonderful fall recipe! 🙂

      1. Thank you! We made it tonight and it was phenomenal!!! One of the best Pinterest recipes I have ever made! We recently picked up some local produce so we used instead. Sweet potato, baby gold potatoes, Brussel sprouts, zucchini and 2 shallots. Definitely NOT as healthy and low carb as your version! The chicken was extremely moist and flavor was superb. I can’t wait to add this to my rotation of fall recipes!

  8. I’m not sure why I’ve never thought to use maple. But, I’m obsessed with the idea! Making this over the weekend! YUM!

  9. Oh my goodness! This looks so delicious and so tasty! I’m so excited to make this recipe, this weekend!

  10. Giving this a try for dinner tonight; I can practically smell those delicious aromas through my computer! Looks amazing!

  11. I love making whole roasted chicken-so fun for a family weeknight meal! The maple butter in this recipe packs in so much yummy flavor!

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