Have you ever had oven-roasted garlic chicken at a restaurant and wondered how they perfected the garlic, herb, and butter flavor in every tender bite? Well, you’re in for a treat! This simple recipe reveals the secret to making any bone-in chicken taste amazing. Whether you have a whole chicken, just the thighs, breasts, drumsticks, or any combination of pieces, this recipe is sure to be on repeat.
Why I Love Roasted Garlic Chicken
Here on Riverbend, we raise chickens for meat. After the butchering season, our home is well stocked with freeze-dried chicken, canned chicken, and frozen chicken, ready to make some of our favorite recipes:
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Delicious Chicken Chili
- Easy Chicken Casserole
- Savory Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
- Roasted Chicken With Lemon Reduction Sauce
- Easy White Bean Chicken Chili
Most cooks agree that more garlic is better than less. This crowd-pleasing recipe for roasted garlic chicken holds to that principle. It comes together in minutes and makes our home smell wonderful.
Substitutions and Variations
Roasted garlic chicken is a classic, but you can modify this standard recipe by substituting ingredients you have on hand:
- Substitute for Wine – If you don’t have cooking wine on hand, substitute more chicken stock with a squeeze of lemon or a splash of white wine vinegar.
- Roast the Garlic – The garlic in this recipe can also be roasted unpeeled (as shown in the video above). It roasts beautifully inside its peel, then the perfectly roasted cloves can be squeezed out and spread directly on the chicken or on crusty bread for an extra garlic punch.
- Spice It Up – For heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the garlic butter. For a smoky flavor, replace black pepper with smoked paprika or cumin. Or, put a tablespoon of Dijon mustard in the butter for a tangy taste.
- Chicken Cuts – For a leaner option, you can use chicken breasts instead of thighs. Just remember that white meat cooks faster, so cooking times might need to be reduced to keep the meat juicy and flavorful.
The Homestead Kitchen
This recipe for roasted garlic chicken was featured in issue No.29 of the Homestead Kitchen magazine. If you are looking for a homesteading resource that can provide answers, guidance, encouragement, tips and tricks, or advice, this magazine was designed just for you.
As new homesteaders, it took us a lot of trial and error to overcome feelings of inadequacy. Now, we have made it our mission to share our journey and knowledge with others to help them bypass some of those growing pains.
With the Homestead Kitchen magazine, you will be put on the fast track to homesteading with confidence as we share how to overcome the big obstacles along with the little things that can make a huge impact on your success.
Now, the Homestead Kitchen magazine is available in print! So subscribe today and start enjoying this magazine in the palm of your hand.
How to Make Roasted Garlic Chicken
Supplies Needed
- 9”x13” Casserole Dish – If you don’t have a 9”x13” pan, you can split the recipe between two 8”x8” or 9″x9″ pans.
- Small Bowl – You will need a small bowl or mug to accommodate the 4 tablespoons of melted butter and herbs.
- Pastry Brush – If you don’t have a pastry brush, simply crumple a coffee filter at the base, dip the edges into the herbed butter, and brush your roasted garlic chicken as you would with a pastry brush.
- Meat Thermometer – To practice proper food safety, you will need to verify that your chicken has reached an internal temp of 165°F.
Ingredients Needed
- 1 Chicken, Cut Into Pieces – This is equivalent to about 4 lbs bone-in chicken pieces.
- 1 Small Onion, Thinly Sliced – White, red, or yellow onion works well for this recipe.
- 30-40 Cloves of Garlic (2-3 heads), Peeled and Crushed – Substituting granulated garlic is not recommended for this recipe.
- 1⁄2 Cup Chicken Bone Broth – Learn how to make bone broth here.
- 1⁄2 Cup White Wine – The wine really enhances the flavor of this recipe, but if you prefer not to use it, you can substitute more bone broth with a splash of white wine vinegar or lemon juice.
- 4 Tbsp Melted Butter – Learn how to make homemade butter here.
- Salt – I recommend using a good-quality salt like Redmond Real Salt. (Using that link for Redmond Salt will automatically give you 15% off your order!)
- Pepper – To taste.
- Leaves from 4 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary – If you don’t have fresh on hand, you can use 1 1⁄2 teaspoon dried rosemary.
How to Make Roasted Garlic Chicken
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Spread the sliced onions and half of the garlic cloves in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Pour the bone broth and wine over the onions and garlic. Place chicken pieces skin-side up on top of the onions.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Use a pastry brush to paint the butter mixture on the chicken pieces. Pour any remaining into the casserole pan.
- Scatter the remaining garlic around the chicken in the pan.
- Bake chicken for 40-45 minutes, until the thickest part of the thickest piece registers at 165°F on a meat thermometer.
- If the skin isn’t browned enough for your taste, set the pan under the broiler for 3-4 minutes.
- Serve roasted garlic chicken warm with mashed potatoes and your favorite green vegetable for a complete and filling meal!
Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. Then snap a photo and tag us on social media @homesteadingfamily so we can see your roasted garlic chicken!
Other Posts You May Enjoy
- Roast Goose Recipe: A Crispy Holiday Classic
- Spatchcock Turkey: The Ultimate Thanksgiving Hack
- Creamed Onions: A Delicious Side Dish Recipe
- Chestnut Stuffing: A Savory Holiday Favorite
- Freeze-Dried or Frozen Chicken Pot Pie
- Lemon Reduction Sauce With Roasted Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth (That Gels Every Time)
Roasted Garlic Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9×13 Casserole Dish or two 8"x8" pans
- small bowl
- Pastry Brush
- Meat Thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken cut into pieces
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 40 cloves garlic 2-3 heads, peeled and crushed
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 Tablespoons butter melted
- salt & pepper to taste
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Spread the sliced onions and half of the garlic cloves in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Pour the bone broth and wine over the onions and garlic. Place chicken pieces skin-side up on top of the onions.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Use a pastry brush to paint the butter mixture on the chicken pieces. Pour any remaining into the casserole pan.
- Scatter the remaining garlic around the chicken in the pan.
- Bake chicken for 40-45 minutes, until the thickest part of the thickest piece registers at 165°F on a meat thermometer.
- If the skin isn’t browned enough for your taste, set the pan under the broiler for 3-4 minutes.
- Serve roasted garlic chicken warm with mashed potatoes and your favorite green vegetable for a complete and filling meal!
Notes
Substitutions and Variations
Roasted garlic chicken is a classic, but you can modify this standard recipe by substituting ingredients you have on hand:- Substitute for Wine – If you don’t have cooking wine on hand, substitute more chicken stock with a squeeze of lemon or a splash of white wine vinegar.
- Roast the Garlic – The garlic in this recipe can also be roasted unpeeled (as shown in the video above). It roasts beautifully inside its peel, then the perfectly roasted cloves can be squeezed out and spread directly on the chicken or on crusty bread for an extra garlic punch.
- Spice It Up – For heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the garlic butter. For a smoky flavor, replace black pepper with smoked paprika or cumin. Or, put a tablespoon of Dijon mustard in the butter for a tangy taste.
- Chicken Cuts – For a leaner option, you can use chicken breasts instead of thighs. Just remember that white meat cooks faster, so cooking times might need to be reduced to keep the meat juicy and flavorful.
