This is the best Christmas chicken recipe that shows you how to roast chicken in easy, simple, and quick steps. This Christmas roast chicken is packed full of flavor, tender and juicy inside, with golden brown crispy skin. It is herby, aromatic, and delicious.
Serve with potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, pan fried vegetables, gravy, or any other side of choice for the special day or any occassion.
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Why You Will Love This Christmas Chicken Recipe
If you're after the best chicken recipe for Christmas day, this is the one. This Christmas chicken recipe is easy, simple, and perfect.
It's made with a few pantry ingredients so you don't have to stress about looking for fresh ingredients they might have run out of in the store.
This Christmas roast chicken is made with clean ingredients. No artificial preservative or additive was used in making it.
It is high in protein and low carbs. A simple special chicken for Christmas the whole family would love.
The meat is moist, tender on the inside, and crispy on the outside.
You can make it ahead on Christmas Eve then reheat it in the oven on Christmas Day. This saves time and ensures dinner is ready on time.
Related: Simple whole roasted chicken, marinated roast chicken
Roast Chicken Seasoning
For the seasoning, I have used dried herbs and spices that are readily available in the kitchen pantry. This is simple but clean and flavorful.
The herbs and spices used ensure you have the best Christmas roast chicken. They are:
Paprika
Parsley
Thyme
Rosemary
Oregano
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Ingredients
Here are what you will need to make Christmas chicken:
Whole chicken
Butter
Paprika
Thyme
Parsley
Rosemary
Oregano
Onion Powder
Black pepper
Salt
Fresh Onion
Orange
Carrots
How To Roast Chicken For Christmas
Here's a step by step instructions on how to roast Christmas chicken:
Prep the chicken - If there are giblets in the chicken cavity, remove them. Pat the whole chicken dry with a kitchen towel.
Make the Marinade - In a small bowl, add the butter, parsley, thyme, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Mix till well combined. This is the chicken marinade.
Marinate chicken - Apply the marinade inside and all over the chicken.
Slice the onion and Orange into 4. Put the sliced onion and orange slices in the chicken cavity (Optional).
Put the whole chicken in the fridge to marinate for 2 - 12 hours.
Roast - Bring the chicken out. Line the baking tray with sliced onions, oranges, carrots, and celery.
Place the marinated whole chicken on the vegetable-lined baking tray.
Put the tray in the oven and bake at a temperature of 400F/200C for 80 minutes or until cooked.
Take out the cooked chicken and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving it and serving.
To Make It in The Air Fryer
If you don't have an oven, or the oven is busy with other foods, you can roast christmas chicken in the air fryer. Simply follow the steps below:
After marinating the chicken, place the whole chicken breast side down in the air fryer basket.
Set the air fryer to a temperature of 180C and air fry for 40 minutes. After the 40 minutes, flip over the chicken with a thong and air fry for another 10 minutes.
Bring out the chicken from the air fryer, and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving it.
How Long To Roast Chicken
This varies due to factors such as the size of the chicken, and the temperature of the oven the chicken is being cooked. Having said that, here is a good cooking time guide:
How long to roast chicken is 40 - 45 minutes per kg. So for a 2kg chicken, how long to roast it will be 80-90 minutes.
How long to cook a whole chicken in the oven at a temperature of 200C is 40 - 45 minutes per kg (2lb).
How long does a chicken take to cook per kg?
It takes 40 - 45 minutes per kg.
How long does it take to roast chicken at 180C?
It takes between 45-50 minutes to cook at a temperature of 180C.
Serving Suggestion
When the chicken is cooked, you can move it to another dish or leave it in the dish and garnish/decorate it with cooked potatoes, carrots, and parsley leaves. Side dishes to serve with are:
Potatoes - roast potatoes, air fryer potatoes, fried potatoes, boiled potatoes, cream cheese mashed potatoes
Vegetables - Boiled carrots, boiled broccoli, boiled asparagus, air fryer vegetables, sauteed vegetables, roasted carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, and other vegetable side dishes.
Gravy
Rice- Spicy rice, Jollof rice.
Tips
- Pat the chicken dry before you apply the seasoning/marinade.
- Remember to apply the marinade inside and on all parts of the chicken.
- You can increase or reduce the pepper quantity according to your preference.
- Substitute garlic powder for garlic granules.
- You can line the baking pan with some other vegetables like celery and shallots.
- Check and be sure the chicken is done before removing it from the oven. The internal temperature should be at least 165F.
- Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
- It is cooked if the internal temperature at the thickest part when checked with a meat thermometer is at least 165F/75C. It is not safe to eat if the temperature is below this.
Recipe FAQS
Roast chicken at a temperature of 200C/400F till it is cooked to an internal temperature of at least 75C/165F.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover Christmas roast chicken can be stored in the refrigerator. Depending on how long you'd like to store it, store it in the fridge or freezer.
To store it in the fridge - Put the chicken in a Ziploc or airtight container before placing it in the fridge. It will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
To store in the freezer - Place the chicken in an airtight freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag, label with name and dates then store in the freezer where it will retain its quality and taste for up to 3 months.
To Reheat - You can reheat from cold or frozen. Reheat in the oven, microwave, or air fryer.
You can use leftover roast chicken in sandwiches, curries, soups, paninis, and more.
More Christmas Chicken Recipes
Instant pot whole roast chicken
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This post was first published on November 13, 2021.
Recipe
Christmas Chicken Recipe (Christmas Roast Chicken)
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking tray/dish
Ingredients
- 1.5- 2kg kg Whole Chicken
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- ½ tablespoon Parsley
- ½ tablespoon Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Rosemary
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- 2 medium Oranges
- 2 medium Onions
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prep the chicken - If there are giblets in the chicken cavity, remove them. Pat the whole chicken dry with a kitchen towel.
- Make the Marinade - In a small bowl, add the butter, parsley, thyme, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Mix till well combined. This is the chicken marinade.
- Marinate chicken - Apply the marinade inside and all over the chicken. Slice one onion and one Orange into 4 each. Put the sliced onion and orange slices in the chicken cavity.Put the whole chicken in the fridge to marinate for 2 - 12 hours.
- Roast - Bring the chicken out. Line the baking tray with sliced onion, and oranges (add carrots, and celery if you have).
- Place the marinated whole chicken on the vegetables lined baking tray. Put the tray in the oven and bake at a temperature of 200C for 80 - 90 minutes.It is cooked if the internal temperature at the thickest part when checked with a meat thermometer is at least 165F/75C. It is not safe to eat if the temperature is below this.
- Serve- Take out the cooked chicken and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving it and serving.
To Roast It in Air Fryer
- If you don't have an oven, or the oven is busy with other foods, you can roast christmas chicken in the air fryer. Simply follow the steps below:
- After marinating the chicken, place the whole chicken breast side down in the air fryer basket.
- Set the air fryer to a temperature of 180C and air fry for 40 minutes. After the 40 minutes, flip over the chicken with a thong and air fry for another 10 minutes.
- Bring out the chicken from the air fryer, and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving it.
Notes
- Pat the chicken dry before you apply the seasoning/marinade.
- Remember to apply the marinade inside and on all parts of the chicken.
- You can increase or reduce the pepper quantity according to your preference.
- Substitute garlic powder for garlic granules.
- You can line the baking pan with some other vegetables like celery and shallots.
- Check and be sure chicken is done before removing it from the oven.
- Let the roasted chicken rest for 15 minutes before serving.
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