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Cranberry Maple Roast Chicken

Cranberry maple roast chicken with a lacquered golden skin, roasted at high heat and basted with a maple-Dijon glaze. Cranberries burst in the pan with onion and broth for a spoonable sauce.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Resting 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1 whole chicken (5 pounds) patted dry
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp butter softened
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
Stuffing & aromatics
  • 1 orange halved
  • 1 garlic head halved crosswise
  • 1 red onion cut into wedges
Cranberry maple glaze & pan sauce
  • 2 cup fresh cranberries
  • 0.33 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and start roasting
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
  2. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper, then rub the butter mixed with rosemary under and over the skin.
  3. Stuff the cavity with orange halves and garlic, then set the chicken in a roasting pan with the onion wedges around it.
  4. Roast for 50 minutes at 425F.
Glaze, add cranberries, and finish
  1. Whisk the maple syrup and Dijon mustard, then brush half over the chicken.
  2. Add the cranberries and chicken broth to the pan, letting the mixture surround the chicken as it starts to bubble.
  3. Roast for 25-30 minutes more at 425F, brushing with the remaining glaze until the thigh reaches 165F.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the chicken for 15 minutes so the juices settle, then carve.
  2. Spoon the cranberry pan sauce over the top for a glossy maple-red finish.

Notes

For the best lacquered skin, pat the chicken dry thoroughly before seasoning and keep the oven fully preheated to 425F. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat gently in a covered dish at 325F until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium chicken broth and reduce the added salt slightly while keeping the glaze timing the same.