Name: Butter roast chicken recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken; 1/2 cup butter; 1/3 cup lemon juice; 1 tbs paprika; 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp pepper; 1 tsp brown sugar; 1/2 tsp dried rosemary crushed; 0.125 tsp ground nutmeg; 0.125 tsp cayenne pepper optional

by Mrs Tempest Last updated on 01/06/2025

Turn your regular whole roast chicken into a zingy, zesty favourite. Tender and juicy, many ABR reviewers say they will never cook a roast chook any other way again! Add some vegies to the pan and make a gravy with the pan juices and you have yourself a very satisfying Sunday lunch.

How to make butter roast chicken: key tips

So simple, this recipe is basted with a gorgeous buttery sauce that has a tantalising tang, thanks to the lemon juice and spices. The sauce is made by heating all the ingredients in a saucepan and then pouring it over the whole chicken. Just make sure your chicken is already in the roasting pan before you do this!

Slow-roasted at a low oven temperature and basted regularly with the pan juices, the chicken becomes so wonderfully juicy. And don’t tip out those pan juices – they really make the best gravy. Here is how to make a homemade gravy.

What’s in this butter roast chicken recipe?

A whole chicken is used for this dish and is cooked uncovered, so you can achieve a crispy, golden skin. The butter and sugar in the sauce will help your chicken brown, too. If the skin is starting to brown too quickly, you can cover it loosely with foil. Take the foil off about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time so that the skin can brown and crisp up a little.

To test if your chicken is cooked, insert a food thermometer into the chicken thigh near the breast. The safe temperature for chicken is 75C. The juices of the chicken should always run clear when cooked. If you don’t have a thermometer, use a skewer to pierce the chicken to see if the juices run clear.

Roasting a whole chicken is super easy and delicious. Here are our best whole chicken recipes to start you off, or mix up your roast chicken routine. When the bird is done, if you’re not serving your chicken with roast vegies, here are some classic salads to serve alongside.

This recipe was originally submitted by Mrs Tempest, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.

- Australia's Best Recipes Team

Ingredients

1 whole chicken
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tbs paprika
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp dried rosemary crushed
0.125 tsp ground nutmeg
0.125 tsp cayenne pepper optional

Method

Step 1

Place chicken in a baking pan or roasting dish.
Step 2

Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil.
Step 3

Remove from heat and pour over chicken.
Step 4

Bake chicken, uncovered, at 160C for 30 minutes per 500 g plus 20 minutes extra, basting regularly.

Equipment

1 baking dish
1 saucepan

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

Can I roast vegetables with the chicken?

You certainly can, and they will have a lovely lemony zing to them from the pan juices. Try pieces of potato or pumpkin, carrots and parsnip.

How should I prepare my chicken before cooking?

Take your chicken from the fridge, remove any wrapping. Place it in a bowl on the kitchen bench for 15-25 minutes (depending on its size) covered with a tea towel. You don’t want to try to cook an ice-cold chook, as it won’t cook as evenly as room-temperature meat.