This Xmas chicken recipe aka Christmas chicken roast is moist, tender and overloaded with festive flavours. Nothing can be better than a whole chicken roast recipe to complement the dining table on Christmas dinner. In this preparation, the whole chicken is rubbed with butter and herbs and then roasted on the bed of veggies in the roasting tray or pan. You can serve this succulent chicken with roasted veggies and any other choice of sides on the special day.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
Tips and Suggestions
How to make Christmas Chicken (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
Christmas Chicken recipe
Christmas chicken recipe is a festive whole chicken roast recipe where the chicken is marinated with salt, pepper, butter and a few fresh herbs – rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage leaves and then the chicken is stuffed with garlic, fresh herbs, lemon and orange. After this, the chicken is roasted with veggies like potatoes, carrots, onion garlic etc. The chicken is roasted at medium temperature until it is tender from the centre and the skin gets crispy golden brown in colour.
If you are planning for a special Christmas dinner and looking for a chicken recipe then you have arrived at the right stop. Traditionally, roasted turkey is prepared at Christmas dinner but nowadays many people prefer to eat chicken instead of turkey.
Few people prefer chicken because of their appetite or for health issues. Many people prefer chicken because the bird turkey is pretty expensive. If you doing budget cutting then this Xmas chicken recipe could be your perfect solution.
I am a chicken lover and every year I try to cook whole roasted chicken for the Christmas party and honestly, it never disappoints me. A gorgeous roasted chicken with crispy skin which is so juicy from the inside and a powerhouse of flavours could be the best comforting delight for these chilli days. The veggies roasted along with the chicken and gravy prepared with the chicken stuffing truly make a complete meal for the festive season.
Xmas chicken recipe is very simple and easy to make. It could be a perfect chicken roast recipe for a novice or beginner. It requires very limited ingredients which are easily available in any store or supermarket. The best part of the recipe is that it gets prepared very quickly without any fuss. You can even prepare the dish one day before to avoid rush on the special day. Just refrigerate it after cooking and heat it in the oven the next day before serving.
Why say YES to the whole Chicken roast
- It’s healthy and loaded with wholesome goodies
- It is comforting, satisfying and super delicious
- It is mild, less spicy and kids-friendly
- Easy to make and perfect for a beginner
- The chicken roast recipe is highly customizable
- Gluten-free
- It is high in protein and low in carbs.
- You can make your Christmas dinner ready in 2 hours.
- Tastes as good on next day
Xmas chicken recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section. I have included all the tips and tricks below to make the recipe easier for you on your very first attempt. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share a few interesting facts about the recipe.
Ingredients for Christmas Chicken roast
Chicken: A free-range skin on whole chicken is required to prepare the dish. I prefer a large chicken for the recipe.
Salt & pepper: The most basic ingredients used to marinate the chicken and the veggies. It adds a salty taste and a nice flavour to them.
Butter: I have used salted butter for the recipe. It gives flavour to the chicken and makes it super soft.
Herbs: I have used fresh herbs to marinate the whole chicken. I have finely chopped rosemary, sage, parsley and thyme and mixed it with the butter for marinating. Other than that, I have added a small bunch of herbs to the cavity of the chicken for stuffing.
Lemon & orange: Lemon and orange juice are added to marinate the chicken. Orange and lemon wedges are added to stuff the cavity of the chicken as well.
Vegetables: I have used potatoes, onion, carrots and garlic for the recipe. But you can also use other vegetables like cauliflower, baby corn, mushrooms etc.
Tips to prepare the perfect Christmas Chicken roast
- Always clean the chicken properly and pat dry it. Loosen the skin with the help of a finger or with the handle of a spoon before marinating.
- Always marinate the chicken at least for an hour or overnight before cooking. It makes the chicken juicy, soft and flavourful.
- Put the marination mix all over the chicken and even under the skin as much as possible.
- Don’t try to replace fresh herbs with dried herbs for the best result. Fresh herbs give way better aroma to the dish.
- Please don’t replace the butter with cooking oil. Usage of butter enhances the taste, texture and flavour of the chicken.
- Don’t forget to stuff the cavity of the chicken with fresh herbs, garlic, orange and lemon wedges.
- After marinating the chicken and when the stuffing is done, tie the legs and wings of the bird with kitchen string. Or else the wings may get over-roasted and turn black.
- Always place the baking pan or baking tray in the middle of the oven so that it gets cooked evenly.
- Don’t try to cook the chicken over high heat or else the skin will get crisp and the chicken won’t get cooked from the centre.
How to make Christmas Chicken?
To prepare the Christmas chicken first take a whole chicken and clean it properly. Then pat dry the chicken with a kitchen towel. Then loosen the skin of the chicken very carefully either with your finger or with the handle of a spoon.
Now sprinkle some salt and pepper on the chicken and rub it thoroughly all over its body and under the skin as well. Cover the chicken and refrigerate it at least for 2 hours. I always prefer to marinate it overnight.
Now cut the vegetables – potatoes, onion, carrot, garlic and wash them nicely. Cut some orange and lemon wedges as well. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the veggies, toss them nicely and make them ready.
Finely chop the fresh herbs – rosemary, sage, parsley and thyme. Take soft butter (at room temperature) in a bowl and mix all these herbs into it.
Now rub the butter mixture all over the body of the whole chicken and also under the skin as much as possible. Then squeeze some fresh orange juice and lemon juice on the chicken. Add the fresh herbs- rosemary, sage, parsley, thyme, lemon and orange wedges, and garlic into the cavity of the chicken and stuff it nicely.
Now tie the legs and wings of the chicken with the help of chicken string. Make sure the wings get tucked under or else they will get overcooked. Again, let the chicken sit in this condition for an hour or two.
Then preheat the oven to 180°C Fan / 200°C / 390°F for 10 minutes. Then spread the vegetables, lemon and orange wedges on the baking tray or baking pan. After this, place the marinated chicken on the vegetables.
Now, put the tray straight into the middle of the oven and allow it to cook. Every 20 minutes, take out the tray and pour the broth which comes out of the chicken during roasting on it so the chicken does not turn dry.
In this way, cook the chicken for around 60-70 minutes until the temperature of the thickest part of the chicken turns 160°C-170°C. Then turn off the oven and take out the tray.
You can cut the tie of the chicken and take out the stuffing of the chicken cavity. You can squeeze out the juice from the stuffing and strain them to prepare gravy. Serve the Christmas chicken along with roasted veggies and the gravy prepared with the stuffing.
Many oven-roasted recipes have already been shared in my previous posts. You can check a few of them like
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato soup
Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic
..And Many more…
Ingredients:
For the first marination
- 1½ Kg free-range whole chicken
- 1½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon ground Black pepper
For the second marination
- 100 grams Butter
- 1½ tablespoons chopped Sage
- 1½ tablespoons chopped Parsley
- 1½ tablespoons chopped Rosemary
- 1½ tablespoons chopped Thyme
- 1 tablespoon Orange zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
For the chicken cavity stuffing
- 1 whole Garlic, cut into halves
- 2 Lemon wedges
- 1-2 Orange wedges
- 8-10 Sage leaves
- 5-6 stems of Parsley
- 5-6 stems of Thyme
- 5-6 stems of Rosemary
Other ingredients for the Xmas chicken
- 1 large Orange
- 2 Lemons
- 2 large Carrots
- 6 Small Potatoes
- 3 White Onions
- 1 whole Garlic
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper powder
Instructions:
- First, take a whole chicken and clean it properly. I have used 1½ kg weight chicken for the recipe. Then pat dry the chicken with a kitchen towel. Loosen the skin of the chicken very carefully either with your finger or with the handle of a spoon.
- Now sprinkle 1½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground pepper on the chicken and rub it thoroughly all over its body and under the skin as well. Cover the chicken and refrigerate it at least for 2 hours. I always prefer to marinate it overnight.
- Now cut the vegetables – 6 potatoes, 3 onions, 2 carrots, 1 garlic and wash them nicely. Cut 1 large orange and 2 lemons as well. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper on the veggies, toss them nicely and make them ready.
- Finely chop the fresh herbs – rosemary, sage, parsley and thyme.
- Take 100 grams of soft butter(at room temperature) in a bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme, 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage and mix all these herbs into it.
- Now, rub the butter mixture all over the body of the whole chicken and under the skin as well as much as possible.
- Squeeze 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice on the chicken.
- Add the fresh herbs- 8-10 sage, 5 stems of rosemary, 5 stems of parsley, 5 stems of thyme, 2 lemon wedges, 2 orange wedges, 1 garlic cut into halves to the cavity of the chicken and stuff it nicely.
- Now tie the legs and wings of the chicken with the help of chicken string. Make sure the wings get tucked under or else they will get overcooked. Again, let the chicken sit in this condition for an hour or two.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C Fan / 200°C / 390°F for 10 minutes. Then spread the vegetables, lemon and orange wedges on the baking tray or baking pan.
- Place the marinated chicken on the vegetables.
- Now, put the tray straight into the middle of the oven and allow it to cook.
- Every 20 minutes, take out the tray and pour the broth which comes out of the chicken during the time of roasting on it so the chicken does not turn dry.
- In this way, cook the chicken for around 60-70 minutes until the temperature of the thickest part of the chicken becomes 160°C-170°C.
- Turn off the oven and the chicken is ready to serve.
- You can cut the tie of the chicken and take out the stuffing of the chicken cavity. You can squeeze out the juice from the stuffing and strain them to prepare gravy.
- Serve the Christmas chicken along with roasted veggies and the gravy prepared with the stuffing.
Serving Instruction
Transfer the Xmas chicken to a tray and cut it into pieces before serving. Serve immediately to enjoy its best taste. Serve them along with the roasted veggies and with your favourite side like mashed potato, rice, pitta bread and enjoy the charming Christmas dinner.
Ingredients
For the first marination
- 1½ Kg free-range whole chicken
- 1½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon ground Black pepper
For the second marination
- 100 grams Butter
- 1½ tablespoons chopped Sage
- 1½ tablespoons chopped Parsley
- 1½ tablespoons chopped Rosemary
- 1½ tablespoons chopped Thyme
- 1 tablespoon Orange zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
For the chicken cavity stuffing
- 1 whole Garlic, cut into halves
- 2 Lemon wedges
- 1-2 Orange wedges
- 8-10 Sage leaves
- 5-6 stems of Parsley
- 5-6 stems of Thyme
- 5-6 stems of Rosemary
Other ingredients for the Xmas chicken
- 1 large Orange
- 2 Lemons
- 2 large Carrots
- 6 Small Potatoes
- 3 White Onions
- 1 whole Garlic
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper powder
Instructions
- First, take a whole chicken and clean it properly. I have used 1½ kg weight chicken for the recipe. Then pat dry the chicken with a kitchen towel. Loosen the skin of the chicken very carefully either with your finger or with the handle of a spoon.
- Now sprinkle 1½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground pepper on the chicken and rub it thoroughly all over its body and under the skin as well. Cover the chicken and refrigerate it at least for 2 hours. I always prefer to marinate it overnight.
- Now cut the vegetables – 6 potatoes, 3 onions, 2 carrots, 1 garlic and wash them nicely. Cut 1 large orange and 2 lemons as well. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper on the veggies, toss them nicely and make them ready.
- Finely chop the fresh herbs - rosemary, sage, parsley and thyme.
- Take 100 grams of soft butter(at room temperature) in a bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme, 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage and mix all these herbs into it.
- Now, rub the butter mixture all over the body of the whole chicken and under the skin as well as much as possible.
- Squeeze 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice on the chicken.
- Add the fresh herbs- 8-10 sage, 5 stems of rosemary, 5 stems of parsley, 5 stems of thyme, 2 lemon wedges, 2 orange wedges, 1 garlic cut into halves to the cavity of the chicken and stuff it nicely.
- Now tie the legs and wings of the chicken with the help of chicken string. Make sure the wings get tucked under or else they will get overcooked. Again, let the chicken sit in this condition for an hour or two.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C Fan / 200°C / 390°F for 10 minutes. Then spread the vegetables, lemon and orange wedges on the baking tray or baking pan.
- Place the marinated chicken on the vegetables.
- Now, put the tray straight into the middle of the oven and allow it to cook.
- Every 20 minutes, take out the tray and pour the broth which comes out of the chicken during the time of roasting on it so the chicken does not turn dry.
- In this way, cook the chicken for around 60-70 minutes until the temperature of the thickest part of the chicken becomes 160°C-170°
- Turn off the oven and the chicken is ready to serve.
- You can cut the tie of the chicken and take out the stuffing of the chicken cavity. You can squeeze out the juice from the stuffing and strain them to prepare gravy.
- Serve the Christmas chicken along with roasted veggies and the gravy prepared with the stuffing.
