Pan Roasted Christmas Chicken Recipe

This Pan Roasted Christmas Chicken is the perfect meal idea for enjoying on Christmas day.

Baked with orange slices, rosemary, and garlic, this moist and tender chicken is served with vibrant pomegranates (or cranberries) making it perfect for your festive holiday enjoyment!

What is Christmas Chicken?

Christmas Chicken is a recipe that is a chicken recipe that is inspired by holiday season through flavors and presentation.

I like how simple yet, festive meal idea.

Have you seen my recipe for Dutch Oven Whole Roasted Chicken?

That recipe for chicken combines the succulence of a perfectly roasted chicken with the wholesome goodness of fresh vegetables, all cooked to perfection in a trusty Dutch oven. Both this recipe for Christmas chicken and that recipe for Dutch oven chicken are delicious and easy recipes that are made with a whole chicken.

Fresh rosemary is used in this recipe to give the chicken a festive flavor accent. You can find fresh rosemary sprigs here.

Why we love holiday roasted chicken

This festive roast chicken combines the sweet citrus flavors of oranges with savory garlic. The ingredients give this chicken the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors.

Here is what else we like about this recipe.

• This is an easy chicken recipe that can feed a small crowd.
• The ingredients used to make this chicken are basic ingredients that you may already have on hand.
• When served with a garnish of vibrant pomegranates or cranberries this tasty chicken can also s centerpiece for your Christmas table.
• This chicken is easy to serve with your favorite potato recipe on the side.
• Leftovers can be enjoyed as is or used in another recipe such as soup.
• You can prepare this recipe ahead of time, refrigerate the ingredients, and then place it into your oven when you are ready to bake it (up to 12 hours!).

Ingredients needed to make this roasted chicken.

• Chicken. This recipe was formulated for a whole chicken that weighs between four and five pounds.
• Oranges. Fresh oranges that have been sliced about a half inch thick.
• Fresh Rosemary You will need fresh sprigs to make this recipe.
• Garlic. Your garlic cloves should be peeled and smashed.
• Olive Oil. Used as a rub to help the skin brown and make your chicken moist.
• Seasonings as desired. Such as salt, pepper, and/or other seasonings such as one of these homemade seasonings.
• Broth. Chicken broth is used for roasting the chicken and adding flavor.
• For garnish, fresh pomegranate seeds or cranberries .

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Tips for making the best Christmas Chicken.

Use a four to five pound chicken that has been fully thawed if frozen. If there are any giblets in your chicken they should be removed as well.

More helpful tips for you.

1. Drying the chicken skin by patting it with paper towels before seasoning helps to achieve a crispy and golden-brown exterior during roasting.
2. Your oranges will be inserted into the chicken before baking to help flavor the roasted chicken. I like to rinse and dry my oranges before slicing them.
3. Not a fan of rosemary? There are other herbs that can work in this recipe such as sage or thyme.
4. You can use a baster to baste your chicken once (more than once can affect the skin's ability to get crisp) while baking can also make your chicken more moist.
5. Some folks like to spoon the flavorful pan juices (skimming off the fat) over the carved chicken before serving. This adds extra moisture and intensifies the overall flavor.
6. Allow your roasted chicken to rest before carving. This resting period lets the juices redistribute, resulting in a more flavorful and tender meat.

How to make Pan Roasted Christmas Chicken

Prep Time: 20 minutes .
Bake Time: 1 hour 30 minutes .
Servings: 6.

1. Prepare. Preheat your oven to 375°F and prepare your chicken as indicated. This includes removing the giblets and rinsing and patting the chicken dry with paper towels. Also, prep a roasting pan as needed (I like to spray mine with nonstick for an easier clean up).
2. Stuff. Place your orange slices, rosemary sprigs, and smashed garlic cloves inside the chicken cavity. You can wear food grade prep gloves to do this if you want to. Also, if your stuffing is poking out of the cavity you can tie the legs using oven safe cooking twine.
3. Oil. Transfer your chicken to your roasting pan. Then use a pastry brush or similar item to brush your oil over your chicken.
4. Broth. Pour the broth over the entire chicken and allow it to run off to the bottom of the pan so that your chicken can roast in it.
5. Roast. Place your chicken in the center of your preheated oven. Roast until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F and the skin is golden brown and crispy (uncovered, about an hour to an hour and a half). You can carefully baste your chicken, using the broth in the pan, as needed while roasting to help keep it moist.
6. Serve. Once done, remove the chicken from your oven and let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a juicy and tender result. Then garnish the chicken with pomegranate seeds or cranberries and extra orange slices before serving.

Expert Tip 👉 Your can prepare this recipe up to a day ahead of time. Once you have stuffed your chicken place it into your refrigerator. Then you can brush it with the olive oil just before roasting.

How to store Pan Roasted Chicken.

Once your chicken has fully cooled, it can be stored in an airtight container. When properly stored, the chicken should keep for up to three days refrigerated or up to a few months when frozen.

These recipes go great with pan roasted chicken.

• Chicken Pot Pie Casserole (for leftovers)
• Crockpot Potatoes Au Gratin
• Crockpot Funeral Potatoes Recipe
• Easy Pan Gravy
• Air Fryer Cheddar Bay Biscuits- Copycat Red Lobster
• Air Fryer Crispy Potato Wedges

Print the recipe for Pan Roasted Christmas Chicken

Pan Roasted Christmas Chicken Recipe, a moist and tender oven baked whole chicken flavored with orange slices and rosemary.

Please see recipe post for further details on this recipe.