Here’s a buttery roasted chicken dinner that you can put together with ease. First I’ll show you how to get your bird trussed for roasting, then we’ll give the chicken a nice butter massage. We’ll use fresh herbs like oregano and thyme, as well as dried marjoram and parsley, to infuse the meat with flavor. Then, before the last stretch of the roasting process, we’ll throw some Brussels sprouts into pan as well. It’s a one pan meal!
I don’t know about you guys, but I have had a very hard time finding kitchen twine at the grocery store lately. If you find it impossible to find, and can’t grab it online, then you can create two slits in the loose skin near the hole for the cavity. Then, just tuck the legs inside the holes. I think trussing is better, but I use this method all the time too.
I think this recipe is easy to prepare if you have company coming over, but I honestly just like roasting a bird for my immediate family sometimes. It feels really special!
If you’d like to make some gravy then try the version from our bacon roasted chicken recipe. I think this would also pair really well with some cauliflower mashed “potatoes.”
Yields 8 servings of Herbed Roast Chicken with Brussel Sprouts
The Preparation
- 5 pounds whole roaster chicken, by weight*
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small bunch fresh oregano
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme
- 1 whole lemon
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 pounds frozen Brussels sprouts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 package kitchen twine
*Sizes will always vary at the store, so re-calculate the nutrition after weighing the cooked meat for more accuracy. Feel free to use broiler or fryer chickens as well.
The Execution
1. Remove your roasting chicken from its packaging, and then remove any giblets from inside the cavity of the bird. Pat dry if necessary. Preheat your oven to 450°F.
2. Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper then stuff the bunches of oregano and thyme inside. Pierce the lemon with a knife several times and then also place it into the chicken.
3. To truss the chicken, you must first flip the bird onto it’s back with the legs facing away from you. Tuck the wings over and behind themselves so that they are pinned in place.
4. Hold the center of the twine beneath the ends of the drumsticks, and any excess skin around the cavity hole if long enough. Cross the twine and pull taunt. If there is enough excess flesh around the hole then the cavity may shut. If not, don’t worry about it too much.
5. Pull the ends of the twine under the drumsticks and thighs and up towards the arms.
6. Tie the twine shut around the hole for the neck.
7. Massage about half of the softened butter all over the skin.
8. Season with lots of salt and pepper.
9. Flip the bird over so that it’s back is facing you. Massage the remaining butter into the skin, and then also season with lots of salt and pepper.
10. Roast at 450°F for 15 minutes.
11. Turn the heat down to 325°F and bake for 40 minutes.
12. Remove the pan from the oven and then carefully flip the bird so that the breasts are facing up.
13. Use a brush to baste the bird with the juices from the pan. Add the marjoram and parsley to the bird. Then use the brush to add more juices over the top. I find it best to use a patting motion so that the parsley doesn’t get clumped to together in one spot.
14. Add the Brussels sprouts into the pan and mix with the juices. Brush the olive oil over the tops of the sprouts and then season well with salt and pepper.
15. Return to the oven and bake for another 40 minutes, or until the top of the bird is browned and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Temp the bird by sticking a thermometer into the meaty part of the legs. Make sure you avoid hitting a bone to get an accurate reading.
16. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
This makes a total of 8 servings of Herbed Roast Chicken with Brussels Sprouts. Each serving comes out to be 429.88 Calories, 30.45g Fats, 5.1g Net Carbs, and 32.95g Protein.
| Herbed Roast Chicken with Brussels Sprouts | Calories | Fats(g) | Carbs(g) | Fiber(g) | Net Carbs(g) | Protein(g) |
| 5 pound whole roaster chicken* (48oz meat) | 2520 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 228 |
| Salt and pepper to taste | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 small bunch fresh oregano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 small bunch fresh thyme | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 whole lemon | 11 | 0.12 | 3.31 | 0.1 | 3.21 | 0.17 |
| 4 tablespoons butter, softened | 407 | 46.07 | 0.03 | 0 | 0.03 | 0.48 |
| 1 tablespoon dried marjoram | 5 | 0.12 | 1.03 | 0.7 | 0.33 | 0.22 |
| 1 tablespoon dried parsley | 5 | 0.09 | 0.81 | 0.4 | 0.41 | 0.43 |
| 2 pounds frozen Brussels sprouts | 372 | 3.71 | 71.29 | 34.5 | 36.79 | 34.28 |
| 1 tablespoon olive oil | 119 | 13.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 3439 | 243.61 | 76.47 | 35.7 | 40.77 | 263.58 |
| Per Serving(/8) | 429.88 | 30.45 | 9.56 | 4.46 | 5.1 | 32.95 |
Herbed Roast Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
Equipment
- Kitchen twine
Ingredients
- 5 pound whole roaster chicken
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small bunch fresh oregano
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme
- 1 whole lemon
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 pounds frozen Brussels sprouts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Remove your roasting chicken from it's packaging, and then remove any giblets from inside the cavity of the bird. Pat dry if necessary. Preheat your oven to 450F.
- Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper then stuff the bunches of oregano and thyme inside. Pierce the lemon with a knife several times and then also place it into the chicken.
- To truss the chicken, you must first flip the bird onto it's back with the legs facing away from you. Tuck the wings over and behind themselves so that they are pinned in place.
- Hold the center of the twine beneath the ends of the drumsticks, and any excess skin around the cavity hole if long enough. Cross the twine and pull taunt. If there is enough excess flesh around the hole then the cavity may shut. If not, don't worry about it too much.
- Pull the ends of the twine under the drumsticks and thighs and up towards the arms.
- Tie the twine shut around the hole for the neck.
- Massage about half of the softened butter all over the skin.
- Season with lots of salt and pepper.
- Flip the bird over so that it's back is facing you. Massage the remaining butter into the skin, and then also season with lots of salt and pepper.
- Roast at 450F for 15 minutes
- Turn the heat down to 325F and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and then carefully flip the bird so that the breasts are facing up.
- Use a brush to baste the bird with the juices from the pan. Add the marjoram and parsley to the bird. Then use the brush to add more juices over the top. I find it best to use a patting motion so that the parsley doesn't get clumped to together in one spot.
- Add the Brussels sprouts into the pan and mix with the juices. Brush the olive oil over the tops of the sprouts and then season well with salt and pepper.
- Return to the oven and bake for another 40 minutes, or until the top of the bird is browned and the internal temperature reaches 165F. Temp the bird by sticking a thermometer into the meaty part of the legs. Make sure you avoid hitting a bone to get an accurate reading.
- Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
