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+ servings

Apple and Sage Roast Chicken

Add an autumnal twist to a comfort food favorite with this top-rated recipe for Apple and Sage Roast Chicken.
4.80 from 10 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients  

  • 1 (4- to 5-pound) roasting chicken
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons minced fresh sage
  • 2 cloves garlic (See Kelly's Notes)
  • 1 apple, cored and cut into wedges

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  • In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine the butter and minced sage. Cook until the butter is melted.
  • Rinse the chicken, remove the giblets (if included) and trim off any excess fat. Thoroughly dry the chicken then place it in a skillet, nonstick sauté pan or roasting pan. 
  • Brush the chicken all over, as well as inside the cavity, with the melted sage butter then season the chicken all over (including inside the cavity) generously with salt and pepper. Place the apple wedges and smashed garlic cloves inside the cavity then using kitchen twine, tie together the legs.
  • Roast the chicken for 1 hour, basting it every 15 minutes with the juices and excess melted butter than collect in the pan. (Tilt the pan to collect the juices and spoon them back atop the chicken.)
  • Remove the chicken from the oven once it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F and let it rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board before slicing and serving.

Kelly's Notes:

  • The garlic can be added in two ways: You can mince the cloves then add them to the butter and sage or you can smash the cloves and place them inside the cavity. If you go the minced garlic route, it's important to baste the chicken every 15 minutes so that the garlic doesn't burn. If you go the smashed garlic route, you can baste the chicken only two or three times. Both ways work! 
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