Roasted Apple Glazed Chicken

Looking for the perfect holiday chicken recipe? This sweet and savory apple glazed chicken is simple and delicious! Serve with some roasted veggies and stuffing for a tasty, easy holiday meal.

Hey Cousins! Today, I’m sharing another holiday recipe, but this one is NOT in the turkey department. Every year, as I plan my holiday series, I realize I have at least five turkey recipes up on my blog… We all love turkey, but sometimes you need a break, right?! I realized I needed a few options for those of you who don’t like turkey (or simply want an alternative). 

You may have already seen my slow cooker chicken dinner recipe, which is great for the holidays and any time you need a fancy yet easy meal. Today, I’m sharing another chicken recipe – my roasted apple glazed chicken! This holiday chicken recipe is perfect for small or large groups (you can always make more than one!), It’s affordable and a FOOLPROOF recipe. 

The Perfect Sweet & Savory Holiday Chicken

So, what makes this apple glazed chicken recipe so perfect for the holidays? The flavor, how easy the recipe is, and the presentation! If you’re only cooking for a small group of people, you don’t need a whole 8-10-pound turkey. Whole chickens are a great alternative holiday dinner because the portion sizes are just right for smaller groups.

Then you have the sweet apple glaze! My version is made by basting the chicken with apple juice concentrate while it bakes. This infuses so much sweetness into the tender chicken while keeping it nice and moist. 

Then, of course, you have the side dishes. There are so many options – roasted vegetables, a fresh salad, or a savory stuffing recipe. Your holiday meal doesn’t have to be complicated and take all day to cook. This apple-glazed holiday chicken is ready in about an hour, and you’ll have a cozy dinner ready for the fam. What’s not to love?! 

Ingredients for Apple Glazed Chicken

One thing that makes this recipe so easy is that it doesn’t need a lot of ingredients! You probably already have almost everything on hand, making it an affordable holiday dinner. As always, you can find the complete ingredient measurements in the recipe card below. Here’s everything you need to make a roasted apple-glazed chicken. 

• Whole Chicken: mine is usually between 6 and 8 pounds, but that’s on the bigger side. A smaller 4-5-pound chicken would work, too!
• Apple Juice Concentrate: you know those tubes of apple juice concentrate you find in the freezer section? Yep, those are the ones! The concentrated apple juice cooks down while the chicken bakes, making it the perfect sweet apple glaze.
• Butter: like most of my turkey and chicken recipes, y’all wanna rub that baby up with BUTTA. I use salted butter, but if you only have unsalted on hand, make sure to add some salt to your seasonings.
• Salt-Free Seasoning: because I use salted butter, I opt for an all-purpose salt-free seasoning like Mrs. Dash or Trader Joe’s 21 Season Salute. You can use your favorite blend or make your own with a combo of onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, and whatever dried herbs you have in your cupboard.
• Large Apple: I use one large sweet apple (like a Honeycrisp apple) to stuff into the cavity of my turkey. I keep it whole – that way, it keeps the chicken in shape while it bakes and still infuses that fresh apple juice flavor into the tender meat.

How to Make Roasted Apple Glazed Chicken (+ Video Tutorial)

Now that you know what ingredients you need, let’s talk about how to make this easy holiday chicken recipe!

You can follow my video tutorial below, which walks you through how I make this apple glazed chicken in just a few easy steps. While you’re over there, be sure to subscribe to I Heart Recipes on YouTube to catch all my recipe videos! 

Apple Glazed Roast Chicken Directions:

1. Pat the whole chicken dry with paper towels.
2. Rub the chicken with room temperature salted butter all around the outside and inside the cavity as well. 
3. Season the whole chicken (all those nooks and crannies!) with your seasonings.
4. Stuff the chicken cavity with one whole apple (leave it whole to help the chicken keep its shape. If it doesn’t fit, cut the apple in half).
5. Place the chicken in a roasting pan or deep baking dish (you’ll want something deep enough to collect all the juices from the chicken and the apple glaze).
6. Place the chicken into a 350-degree F oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. After that cooking time, remove the chicken and baste it with the thawed apple juice concentrate, making sure to get all surfaces of the chicken.
7. Return the chicken to the oven and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 160 degrees F. 
8. Remove the chicken from the oven, let it rest for 15-30 minutes to reabsorb all those tasty juices, then serve!

That, my friends, is it! Roasting a tasty holiday chicken has never been easier. The simple apple glaze adds a sweet touch to the savory, juicy chicken. While it cooks, the apple juice helps caramelize and brown the skin for that perfect golden brown, crispy skin everyone loves. All you need are some side dishes, and your perfect Fall dinner is ready!

Tips, Tricks, and Recipe Variations for Roasted Apple Glazed Chicken

Wondering how to tweak this recipe to make it even tastier? Have some questions about how to roast a chicken for the best results? Well, Cousins, I gotchu covered! Of course, y’all know I always say follow the recipe as written, but I know sometimes you wanna switch it up and work with what ya got.

• Instead of using plain butter on the chicken, make an herb butter mixture. Combine softened butter with salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs like fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, basil, or sage.
• You can always add more aromatics to the cavity of the chicken for more flavor. Instead of just using sweet apples, try onions, orange wedges, lemons, and fresh herbs.
• Don’t want to cook a whole chicken? Try this recipe with other chicken pieces, like boneless skin-on chicken breast or skin-on chicken thighs. The cooking time will obviously shorten to accommodate the smaller volume of chicken, but the results will be equally delicious and great for meal prep or a busy weeknight dinner.
• Letting the chicken rest is super essential for a juicy, flavorful chicken. While it rests, cover it up with aluminum foil to help keep the chicken warm while you put the finishing touches on the meal.

Apple Glaze Variations: What can I use instead of apple juice concentrate? 

What I love about the apple juice concentrate is that it’s simple and affordable, and you can find it just about anywhere – the regular grocery store, the dollar store, and even convenience stores! However, if you can’t find the frozen concentrate or want to change it up a bit, here are some other ways to make a delicious apple glaze for your roasted chicken: 

• Apple Cider: you can use fresh apple cider as a glaze as well! In a medium pot on the stovetop, bring your apple cider to a simmer over medium heat until it cooks down and thickens a bit. This will concentrate the cider, cooking down the sugar and making it the perfect glaze. 
• Brown Sugar, Honey, or Maple Syrup: you can also make a sweet apple glaze using apple juice and a sweetener like brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Again, heat the apple juice and sweetener of your choice on the stovetop until it cooks down and thickens up a bit.
• Apple Jelly or Apple Butter: this one might be a little more niche, but if you have an apple butter or apple jelly or preserves you really love, that makes a great glaze, too! Heat it up a bit so it’s easily spreadable, then baste the chicken with the glaze as directed in the recipe. 

Should I roast my chicken breast side up or down? 

Does it matter? It’s entirely up to you! Roasting the chicken breast side down is said to make the skin crispier and the meat more tender and juicy since the juices from the chicken drip down into the chicken breasts while cooking. However, the same can be said for roasting a chicken breast side up, especially with the right preparation. Flipping the chicken halfway through cooking can also be a challenge, so if you’re not ready to fight with gravity, cook your chicken however you see fit. 

What side dishes can I serve with roasted apple glazed chicken? 

I’m so glad you asked! Picking the perfect side dishes for this sweet and savory meal is key to bringing it all together. I personally love pairing my apple glazed chicken with some simple veggies – roasted sweet potatoes, green beans, brussels sprouts, or some classic Southern collard greens – and my apple cranberry stuffing. Want some more options? Here are a few to try: 

• Baked Candied Yams
• Corn Pudding Casserole
• Green Bean Casserole
• Moist Homemade Sweet Potato Muffins
• The Easiest Sweet Dinner Rolls Recipe
• Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Loved this recipe? Share a photo of your holiday spread by tagging me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, and subscribe to I Heart Recipes on YouTube! Don’t forget to check out I Heart Soul Food, Super Soul Food with Cousin Rosie, and A Cousin Rosie Holiday, with many recipes you can’t find anywhere else.

Roasted Apple Glazed Chicken Recipe

Pair this delicious and juicy holiday chicken with some stuffing and a few side dishes, and you've got a great holiday dinner spread!

Watch Video Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Christmas, Thanksgiving

Keyword Apple Glazed Holiday Chicken

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Rest Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 6-8 pound Whole Chicken
• 12 oz frozen concentrated apple juice thawed
• 4-5 tbsp salted butter
• 3 tbsp salt free seasoning
• 1 Large Apple

Instructions

• Clean the chicken thoroughly, and remove all contents from the cavity.
  6-8 pound Whole Chicken
• Pat dry the chicken with a paper towel, then rub the chicken down with salted butter. I also added butter in the cavity.
  4-5 tbsp salted butter
• Sprinkle on the salt-free seasoning. Make sure you season the whole chicken, inside and out.
  3 tbsp salt free seasoning
• Stuff the chicken cavity with the apple, then tie the legs of chicken with butcher string.
  1 Large Apple
• Place the chicken in a well-oiled dish with the breast up (or down if you prefer).
• Bake the chicken on 350 F for 35-40 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the oven, and brush the apple juice concentrate onto the chicken.
  12 oz frozen concentrated apple juice
• Place the chicken bake into the oven for another 15-20 minutes.
• Let the chicken sit for about 5 minutes, then serve!

Video

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Recipe by: I Heart Recipes