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Cranberry Maple Roast Chicken

Cranberry maple roast chicken with lacquered golden skin and a tangy-sweet pan sauce. Roast the chicken at high heat, glaze halfway through, then rest and carve with spooned cranberry-maple juices.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Whole chicken
  • 1 whole chicken About 5 pounds, patted dry
Seasonings
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp butter Softened
Herbs and aromatics
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary Chopped
  • 1 orange Halved
  • 1 garlic Head, halved crosswise
  • 1 red onion Cut into wedges
Cranberry maple glaze and sauce
  • 2 cup fresh cranberries
  • 0.33 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and roast
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F and place a roasting pan in the oven to heat while you prep the chicken.
  2. Pat the whole chicken dry, then season the inside and out with salt and black pepper.
  3. Mix softened butter with chopped fresh rosemary, then rub it under and over the skin.
  4. Stuff the cavity with orange halves and garlic, then set the chicken in a roasting pan with the red onion wedges around it.
  5. Roast for 50 minutes until the skin starts to turn golden.
Glaze, finish, and serve
  1. Whisk maple syrup and Dijon mustard, then brush half of the glaze over the chicken.
  2. Add fresh cranberries and chicken broth to the roasting pan, then return to the oven for 25-30 minutes.
  3. Continue roasting until the thigh reaches 165F, brushing with the remaining glaze during the final roasting time.
  4. Rest the chicken for 15 minutes, then carve and spoon the cranberry pan sauce over the top.

Notes

Pro tip: for the best lacquered skin, brush the glaze during roasting so it sticks and caramelizes instead of sliding off. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3-4 days; reheat gently so the skin doesn’t toughen. Freezing is yes—freeze carved portions and sauce separately for up to 2 months, then thaw in the fridge. For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium broth and cut the added salt slightly.