Juicy Greek Roast Chicken with Garlic and Herb Butter

We believe it's a widely shared sentiment: Greece truly excels in creating extraordinary dishes from a few basic, fresh ingredients. It's their thing and we want to be part of it!

This simple, juicy roast chicken, with a crispy skin to boot, embodies all those familiar flavours of Greece. Infused with the classic combination of oregano and fresh, zesty lemon, it brings the essence of the sunny Mediterranean right to your table.

Despite common misconceptions, roasting the perfect chicken is not complicated. In fact, it's probably one of the easiest dishes you can cook, even if you're a roasting novice. Promise!

A mere few minutes of prep-knowhow, paired with the gentle hum of the oven and you're good to go. To simplify things, we're going to cover:

• How to achieve that coveted crispy skin with the right preparation, oven temperatures and timing.

• How to achieve the juiciest interior by stuffing a herby garlic butter under the skin. It's much simpler than it sounds and we'll walk you through it step by step.

Once the bird is in the oven, you can sit back, relax and let the oven work its magic!

Note: This blog post is tailored for those new to roasting a chicken. We've included plenty of details and step-by-step photos on every step along the way. If you're a confident cook, feel free to skip ahead to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Fast Facts - Greece

Location	Greece is located in southeastern Europe, on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula. It is bordered by Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north and Turkey to the northeast. To the east, Greece is bordered by the Aegean Sea, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea and to the west by the Ionian Sea.
Capital	Athens.
Language	The official language of Greece is Greek.
Population	Circa 10.4 million people.
Trivia	Certain places in Greece prohibit the use of high heels to prevent damage to ancient stone structures, preserving the rich historical sites dating back to the fifth century BC.

Key ingredient notes and substitutions

**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.

Whole, large chicken

For this recipe, you'll want a large, whole chicken, ideally around 1.9kg (4.2lb). Adjust the amount of butter according to the size of your chicken if it happens to be significantly smaller or larger.

When selecting your chicken, pay attention to the skin. It should be intact with no tears. This detail is crucial to ensure the butter stuffing stays securely inside during the cooking process. We've not come across this problem, most chickens should be fine to use.

If your chicken comes with giblets, you can choose to discard them or save them for another recipe by freezing them.

Unsalted butter

We suggest using unsalted butter for this recipe so you can decide how much salt to add.

The consistency of the butter:

When making the butter stuffing (or compound butter), make sure the butter is soft but not runny. It just makes mixing it with the herbs and other ingredients easier when it's 'pliable'.

Once your butter stuffing is mixed, it should still be a consistency where you can pinch off pieces to place under the chicken's skin, hence why the butter should not be runny.

If you tried to soften your butter in the microwave and accidentally took it too far, mix in the other ingredients and then just put it in the fridge until it's 'pliable' again.

The herbs

Oregano is a must for that authentic Greek flavour and since this is a Greek roasted chicken recipe, it's a star ingredient.

We go for dried oregano as it's more commonly available but feel free to use fresh if you have it!

We also bring in another Greek favourite - fresh thyme. If you don't have thyme, you can easily swap it with rosemary or their dried versions.

Coarse sea salt

Opting for coarse sea salt provides superior control over the saltiness of your chicken. Unlike table salt with its fine granules, which makes it easy to accidentally oversalt, coarse sea salt offers a more measured approach to seasoning.

Additionally, the coarse texture excels at drawing moisture out of the skin during the roasting process, precisely what you need to achieve that sought-after crispy skin.

The 'Trivet' of onions and garlic - What's the point of it?

Placing the chicken on a simple 'trivet' of garlic and onion lifts it slightly from the bottom of the roasting dish. This elevation allows air to circulate more effectively around the chicken, promoting even cooking and contributing to a crispy skin.

Secondly, as the chicken roasts, the heat causes the garlic and onions underneath to release their flavours. This infusion adds depth and richness to the chicken.

Thirdly, if you're thinking of making gravy from the pan juices, those roasted onions and garlic heads are pure gold for adding flavour to your sauce.

As you quarter the onions, trim a bit off both sides of each quarter, ensuring they sit flat on the roasting dish. This also creates a level surface for the chicken to rest on.

There's no need to peel the onions entirely, simply remove the very dry outer layer.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Take the chicken out of the fridge approximately 30 minutes before you begin to allow it to come up to room temperature.

2. Make a note of the weight of the chicken. You will need this to calculate the cooking time.

3. To make the compound butter for the stuffing, add the softened butter, garlic paste (or chopped garlic), dried oregano, chopped thyme, coarse sea salt and black pepper to a bowl.

4. Using a fork, squash and mix all the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

5. In a large roasting pan/sheet pan, arrange the quartered onions and halved garlic heads to create a 'bed' for the chicken.
   
   Note: Flattening both sides of the onions not only ensures they sit securely on the roasting dish but also provides a level surface for the chicken to rest on.

6. Preheat the oven to 220C/430F.

7. Remove the chicken from its packaging and place it on a layer of kitchen paper. Gently pat the whole bird bone dry with another piece of paper towel.
   
   This step is crucial to ensure an extra crispy skin.

8. To make it easier to put the butter under the skin, loosen the skin from the bird first.
   
   Use a big spoon or spatula to gently slide between the flesh and the skin, separating it as you work your way around the top half of its body. Just be careful not to tear the skin in the process.

9. Do the same for the legs. You should be able to find an entry point near the loose skin around the cavity entrance of the chicken.
   
   Note: You don't need to loosen the skin on the underside of the chicken.

10. Set aside approximately a quarter of the compound butter. This reserved portion will be used for the outside of the chicken.

11. From the remaining butter, pinch off about two teaspoons worth of compound butter with your fingers.

12. Gently push the dollop of butter underneath the skin, moving it up towards the top of the chicken breasts. Follow with more dollops of butter until you've placed a few across the largest surface area of the chicken.

13. Press down on the outside surface of the skin to gently massage the butter underneath, flattening and spreading it out slightly.

14. Follow the same process for the chicken legs, pushing the butter in and then gently massaging it from the outside to spread it out more.

15. Briefly microwave the butter you set aside earlier until it becomes a bit runnier. Evenly pour it over the outside of the chicken.

16. Use your hands to spread the butter all around the chicken thighs, legs and body (Ignore the underside of the chicken).

17. Slice the lemon in half and stuff one half inside the chicken's cavity.

18. Follow the lemon with a few sprigs of thyme or rosemary, pushing them up into the cavity.

19. Optional: Truss the chicken's legs together with a piece of kitchen twine.
    
    Note: Trussing helps the chicken cook more evenly. By securing the legs together, you create a more compact shape, allowing for uniform cooking of both the breast and thigh meat.

20. Take a generous pinch of coarse sea salt and sprinkle it across the chicken. We've found that a three-finger-and-thumb pinch is just the right amount.

21. Transfer the chicken onto its onion and garlic trivet. Feel free to add more fresh herbs below the chicken if you wish.

22. With the remaining half of the lemon, squeeze a small amount of juice across the chicken, followed by freshly ground black pepper.
    
    Note: Avoid drenching the chicken with the lemon juice. Keep the liquid to a bare minimum to ensure a crispy skin.

23. In the preheated oven, cook the chicken for 10 minutes at 220C/430F then turn the heat down to 180C/356F. Then, cook it for 20 minutes per every pound (450g) of chicken. Check that the juices from the chicken are running clear before removing it from the oven.
    
    Example: A 1.9kg (4.2 lb) chicken will cook for 10 min at the higher heat and a further 84 minutes at the lower heat (1900g/450g = 4.2 x 20 minutes = 84 minutes).
    
    If you have an instant-read thermometer, chicken is done cooking when its internal temperature reaches 165ºF (75ºC).

24. Allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Do not cover the chicken at this point because any steam trapped inside foil will soften the crispy skin.
    
    Optional: For that extra glossy look on the dinner table, melt a small amount of butter and brush it over the chicken just before serving.
    
    You can also crumble over some feta cheese, add a few kalamata olives and extra lemon slices.

Variations

• Add a burst of citrus by incorporating orange, grapefruit or lemon zest into your butter mixture.

• Experiment with a mix of fresh herbs like basil and parsley, in addition to the oregano and thyme. Or use a pre-mixed Greek seasoning.

• Roast vegetables like cherry tomatoes, bell peppers and red onions alongside the chicken for a complete meal.

Serving suggestions

• Roast potatoes

• Fried courgettes

• Taboule

• 2-Ingredient flatbreads

• Greek salad

• A simple green side salad

• Tzatziki

• Orzo pasta

• Lemon rice

• Roasted vegetables, like sweet potatoes

• Spanakorizo

• A white wine like Retsina or Assyrtiko

Storage, reheating and freezing

Storage

To store Greek roast chicken, allow any leftovers to cool to room temperature. Store the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge within two hours of cooking. Can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Reheating

For reheating, it's best to use an oven or toaster oven to help maintain the crispiness of the skin. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), place the chicken on a baking sheet and cover it with foil. Reheat for about 15-20 minutes or until warmed through.

Freezing

To freeze Greek roast chicken, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap/foil or place it in a freezer-safe airtight container. Label it with the date for easy reference. Frozen roast chicken can be stored for up to 2-3 months.

When ready to enjoy, thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating following the above instructions.

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Cypriot grain salad

Easy Fried Courgettes

Taboule

Creamy Italian Pasta Salad

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Panzanella Toscana Salad