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Maple Cranberry Roast Chicken

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This Cranberry Maple Roast Chicken is the perfect blend of sweet, tangy, and savory, featuring a juicy whole chicken roasted to perfection with a sweet-tart maple syrup sauce, fresh cranberries, and fragrant herbs. Serve it for Thanksgiving, the holidays, or even a cozy weeknight dinner, and watch it become an instant favorite.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

Scale
  • Organic whole chicken (About 5-10 lbs)
  • ½ cup salted butter, softened
  • 2 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsps smoked paprika
  • 2 tsps black pepper
  • 2 tsps garlic powder
  • 2 tsps dried thyme
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 2 lemons, halved + sliced
  • 1 cup organic chicken stock
  • MAPLE CRANBERRY GLAZE:
  • 1 ½ cups pure maple syrup
  • 1 cup whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
  • ½ cup organic cranberry juice
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

Instructions

  1. Optional Brine: Combine 2 cups water, salt, and brown sugar in a large pot over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining brining ingredients and cold water as needed. Ensure brine is cool.
  2. Clean chicken by removing neck, gizzards, excess tissue/fat/organs. Rinse with water and squeeze lemon/lime for cleansing.
  3. Pat dry, place chicken in brining bag, cover with brine. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Remove, pat dry, air-dry 30-60 minutes before roasting.
  4. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease baking dish, griddle pan, or Dutch oven. Set aside.
  5. Mix softened butter, olive oil, smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, thyme until smooth. Rub seasoned butter under chicken skin.
  6. Place chicken breast-side up, tie feet with twine, add crushed garlic, quartered onions, and lemons in cavity and around chicken. Pour chicken stock around chicken.
  7. Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes, spooning liquids onto skin as needed. Halfway, pour half of glaze over chicken. Continue roasting, brush remaining glaze in last 10 minutes. Internal temperature should reach 165°F.
  8. Rest chicken 20 minutes before carving and serving.

Notes

  • Leftovers: Store in airtight container, refrigerate 3-4 days. Reheat in oven until warmed through.
  • Chicken size: For larger chickens, double ingredients and cook longer.
  • Cooking tip: Cook 20-25 minutes per pound. For very large chickens, consider spatchcocking for even cooking.
  • Make ahead: See FAQ section on blog for options.
  • Author: lily
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://us.lillyrecipes.com/maple-cranberry-roast-chicken/