How to make tender roasted chicken in a delicious sweet and savory sauce
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
1 hour, 10 minutes
Servings:
Ingredients
  • 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken, giblets removed
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 5 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup apricot jam or preserves
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
Directions
  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Step 2: Place a 5-to-6 pound chicken in a roasting pan on a rack, breast side up. Sprinkle the cavity and outside of chicken with salt and pepper. Gently loosen the skin on the chicken breast by placing fingers under the skin. Rub outside of the chicken with 1 tablespoon butter. Rub 3 tablespoons butter under the breast skin.
  3. Step 3: Roast chicken for 60 minutes, basting every 15 minutes with pan drippings.
  4. Step 4: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat 1 tablespoon of butter. Saute 3 minced garlic cloves until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup apricot jam, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Cook, stirring, until combined, and set aside.
  5. Step 5: Brush chicken evenly with apricot glaze. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted between the breast and the thigh registers 165 F, about 10 minutes more.
  6. Step 6: Remove the chicken from the oven, tent with tin foil and allow to rest 10 minutes before carving.