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Cranberry Maple Roast Chicken

Cranberry maple roast chicken with lacquered golden skin—roasted until the thigh hits 165F and finished with a glossy cranberry pan sauce. Juicy, herb-butter rubbed chicken with orange and garlic aromatics plus bursting cranberries.
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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: 780
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
  • 1 orange halved
  • 1 garlic head halved crosswise
  • 1 red onion cut into wedges
  • 2 cup fresh cranberries
  • 0.333 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and roast
  1. Preheat oven to 425F. Place a roasting pan in the oven while it heats.
  2. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Press the seasoning evenly so it adheres to the skin.
  3. Rub the softened butter mixed with rosemary under and over the skin. Tuck the rosemary-butter into any visible gaps under the skin for better coverage.
  4. Stuff the cavity with the orange halves and garlic. Set the chicken in the roasting pan and arrange the onion wedges around it.
  5. Roast the chicken for 50 minutes at 425F. Look for deepening color and bubbling drippings around the onion.
Cranberry maple glaze and finish
  1. Whisk maple syrup and Dijon mustard together. Brush half of the glaze over the chicken before adding the pan ingredients.
  2. Add the cranberries and chicken broth to the roasting pan. Spread cranberries around the chicken so they cook and burst in the juices.
  3. Roast 25-30 minutes more at 425F, brushing with the remaining glaze. Cook until the thigh reaches 165F and the skin looks lacquered and golden.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the chicken for 15 minutes. This lets the juices redistribute so slices stay moist.
  2. Carve the chicken and spoon the cranberry pan sauce over the top. Serve immediately while the sauce is hot and glossy.

Notes

Pro tip: brush glaze in two rounds—once before the cranberries go in and again near the end—so you get a shiny, set lacquer without burning. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended because the cranberry sauce texture can change after thawing. For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium chicken broth and reduce the salt slightly while still seasoning the skin.