Roast Christmas Chicken is the perfect meal for the holidays, especially if you’re cooking for just a small group, or you don’t feel like fussing around with a whole roast turkey or spending the money for a prime rib, spiral ham, or other fancy roast. Chicken is an inexpensive and easy to cook meal, and this recipe adds festive flavors like cranberry and orange to take a simple roast chicken dinner to a whole new level. There are tons of tasty ways to cook a whole chicken, and this is just one of them. Try my Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken, Succulent Air Fryer Whole Chicken, or Dutch Oven Roast Chicken too!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Whole chicken is an inexpensive and easy-to-cook meal, and this recipe adds festive flavors like cranberry, cinnamon, and orange to take a simple roast chicken dinner to a whole new level. And even though it tastes amazing, it doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare. You’ll be able to cook this entire Christmas Chicken with potatoes in about 2 hours total with about 20 minutes of hands-on prep time. You can, of course, serve this roast chicken for Christmas or Christmas Eve, but it’s easy enough that you can make it any time of the year too! It’s a great way to use up any extra cranberries from your Thanksgiving cranberry sauce recipe. So is my Cranberry Chicken recipe!
Christmas Roast Chicken Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this recipe:
Whole Chicken: This recipe will work best with a chicken that is between 4 and 5 pounds. This chicken comes out very tasty and juicy without any need to brine it first, but if you’d like to give it even more juiciness, learn how to brine a chicken with my simple instructions. Oranges, Cranberries, Brown Sugar, and Cinnamon: These aromatic and sweet ingredients add a special touch to this recipe and will cook down to give the vegetables and the chicken an amazing Christmassy flavor! Fresh cranberries work best, but frozen ones can also be used. Butter and Fresh Herbs: A homemade herb butter spread will season the chicken, help brown the skin, and keep the breast meat super tender. Rosemary and Parsley along with softened unsalted butter, a clove of minced garlic, and some salt and pepper make this Christmas chicken herb butter amazing. Carrots and Potatoes: This dish is a full meal with potatoes and carrots cooked underneath the chicken. They are tender and so delicious this way!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Christmas Chicken
Start by preheating your oven to 425°F (220°C). We’ll start cooking the chicken at a high temperature and then lower the heat to roast it more gently.
Recipe Tips
Carving the Chicken: You should cut the roast Christmas chicken into smaller pieces before serving. See my step-by-step guide on how to carve a chicken for more details and tips. Serving Size: A 4-5 pound chicken is enough to feed 4 to 6 people. If you have six people, I suggest looking for a chicken closer to 5 lbs. Cooking Time: The exact amount of time needed to roast a chicken will depend on the size of it. The best way to know if the chicken is done is to use an instant-read thermometer to ensure that the temperature of the thickest part of the thigh is 165°F (74°C). Tender Roast Vegetables: The carrots and potatoes will be cooked in the liquid from the juices released from the chicken and the fruits. If you prefer to make a chicken recipe with crispy potatoes, try making my Chicken Under a Brick instead.
What To Serve With Christmas Chicken
You already have the protein, veggies, and potatoes all in one roasting pan, so there’s no need to do other side dishes, unless you want to. Some of my favorite sides to serve for Christmas dinner are Broccoli Casserole, Sausage Stuffing, and copycat Texas Roadhouse rolls. For Dessert, make a batch of homemade cannoli, mini creme brulee trifles, or a decadent chocolate chip cheesecake!
How do I truss a chicken?
Start with a 3-foot piece of kitchen twine. Place the bird, breast side up with the neck facing away from you on your board. Run the center of the piece of twine under the neck, then bring the string up towards you, tucking the wings as you go. Now bring the twine along the outside of the legs, holding them in place. Cross the twin under the ankles and then tie them together. You can also just tie the legs together and then tuck in the wings. Don’t stress too much!
Should I Roast Chicken Breast Side Up or Down?
Roasting chicken with the breast side UP allows it to brown beautifully and keeps the breast meat from drying out too quickly.
How Should I Store Leftovers?
Leftover roast chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Use the leftovers to make sandwiches, soups, or as a tasty second holiday meal. This holiday, make roast chicken for Christmas! This easy recipe comes out so juicy and flavorful with the most delicious festive flavors. © Little Sunny Kitchen
