thanksgiving chicken

If you’re hosting a small-scale Thanksgiving dinner or are looking to mix things up &amp; make room for more side dishes, then a Thanksgiving chicken is for you! With a flavor-packed herb butter &amp; savory herb oil made with festive fresh herbs, this Thanksgiving Chicken &amp; Gravy is a juicy, oven roasted whole chicken that’s the perfect easy alternative to Thanksgiving turkey.

Thanksgiving Chicken &amp; Gravy (Skillet Roast Chicken for a Small-Scale Thanksgiving!)

savory herb oil, below

herb butter, below

avocado oil

salt black pepper, to season

baby potatoes potatoes

½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

garlic,

¼ cup finely chopped fresh poultry herbs (fresh rosemary, sage, & thyme)

Worcestershire sauce

olive oil

all-purpose flour

dry white wine

chicken stock

heavy cream

kitchen shears

kitchen twine

11-inch cast iron skillet

Instant-read thermometer

Mix the herb oil

At least one day before roasting the chicken, prepare the herb oil. Add the Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, garlic, &amp; herbs to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Cover &amp; set aside to infuse at room temperature for 1 day.

Mix the herb butter

Add all listed herb butter ingredients to a medium bowl. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt &amp; ground black pepper as desired. Mix to combine well. Set aside for immediate use, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

Prepare the chicken

Up to 1 hour before you’d like to begin roasting the chicken, pull it from the refrigerator to give it a chance to warm to room temperature for more even roasting. If you prepped the herb butter in advance, this is a good time to pull that from the refrigerator as well, so it has the chance to soften a little. If present, remove the neck and tail. Use kitchen shears to trim any excess fat or skin flaps from chicken. Use paper towels to pat the surface of the chicken completely dry. Set it on a large plastic cutting board, with the savory herb oil &amp; herb butter nearby for ease. Using kitchen twine, tie the chicken’s legs together, securing them tightly against the breasts.

Season the chicken

Use your hands to spread the prepared herb butter from Step 2 between the chicken skin &amp; meat. To separate the skin from the meat, work your hand gently under the skin over the breast, sweeping from side to side, tearing any tissue connecting the skin to the meat. Work your hand down the side of the chicken into the thigh and leg area. Do not tear or remove the skin from the chicken. Buttering the chicken meat directly helps keep it juicy &amp; flavorful. Transfer the chicken to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle half of the prepared savory herb oil over the surface of the chicken, turning to coat the chicken in the oil. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.

Preheat the oven

Meanwhile, as the chicken rests, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, ensuring an oven rack is positioned in the lower third of the oven. Pour the avocado oil in an 11-inch cast iron skillet, spreading it to coat the bottom of the skillet. Place the skillet on the oven rack, allowing it to preheat as the oven preheats.

Roast the chicken

Once the oven is preheated, lightly season the chicken with kosher salt &amp; ground black pepper. Transfer the chicken to the preheated cast iron skillet, shaking off any excess marinade. Reserve excess marinade. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes.

Add potatoes to the skillet

After 30 minutes of roasting, decrease the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Move the skillet from the oven to the stovetop, then use tongs to transfer the chicken to a large plate. Place the baby potatoes in the hot skillet, then place the chicken on top of the potatoes. Pour the reserved marinade over the chicken, then carefully return the skillet to the oven.

Roast &amp; baste the chicken

Roast for an additional 45-60 minutes, removing the chicken from the oven every 15 minutes to baste in the drippings. To baste, simply spoon or brush the drippings in the skillet all over the surface of the chicken. If desired, rotate the skillet 180 degrees each time you place it back in the oven to promote even roasting &amp; browning. Pull the chicken from the oven once an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers an internal temperature of 155 degrees F.

Rest the chicken

Very carefully transfer the roasted chicken from the skillet to a large flat surface &amp; transfer the potatoes to a serving dish. Tent with foil &amp; set aside to rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before carving. As the chicken rests, its juices will redistribute throughout the meat &amp; its internal temperature will continue to rise to a safe 165 degrees F.

Optional: Make the skillet chicken gravy: Carefully pour the drippings in the skillet into a bowl or large liquid measuring cup. Skim off half of the oil &amp; discard. Pour remaining drippings back into the skillet over medium-low heat. Sprinkle flour over the surface of the skillet and cook, whisking constantly, until a darkened roux forms, about 2-3 minutes. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in the white wine. Let the mixture bubble &amp; reduce slightly. Pour in the chicken stock. Continue to whisk until the gravy reduces to your desired thickness. Remove from the heat. If desired, stir in a little heavy cream (they gravy is otherwise very dark) &amp; season with salt and ground black pepper as needed; this will vary based on the amount of salt in your drippings &amp; your stock so use your judgement.

Carve &amp; serve

fun idea, even if only to have as its own mini Thanksgiving in addition to the real one, I especially like the idea of gravy with chicken, something I've never ever done!

If you love Thanksgiving flavors but don’t always feel like cooking (or carving!) a full turkey, this Oven-Baked Thanksgiving Chicken is the perfect solution. Or, of course you could make my Thanksgiving Chicken Casserole, but I digress. It gives you all the classic holiday vibes — buttery, herby, crispy, and comforting — but in an easy weeknight-friendly bake that uses bone-in chicken instead of poultry panic mode. Want to make it a meal? Try my mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, and cheesy broccoli casserole! These are my Thanksgiving side dishes I have been making for YEARS passed down to me from my grandmother and mother!And the BEST part?During the holiday season, those herbed stuffing mixes are always on sale — usually buy one, get one free — so it’s the perfect time to stock up and make this recipe for under $10. But don’t let the word “Thanksgiving” fool you… this one works year-round. Think Sunday dinner, meal prep, or when you just want something crispy, cozy, and low-effort.If you love this recipe, definitely check out my Thanksgiving Chicken Casserole same holiday flavor profile, totally different vibes, just as delicious.

Thanksgiving Chicken (Oven-Baked)

(8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted — plus 2 tbsp cold butter

herbed stuffing mix (lightly crushed)

oz Parmesan cheese

parsley

garlic powder

Salt & black pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Mix together the crushed stuffing mix, Parmesan, dried parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Pat chicken dry, then season all sides generously with salt & pepper.

Dip each piece of chicken in the melted butter (let excess drip off), then press firmly into the stuffing mixture to fully coat.

Arrange coated chicken in the baking dish in a single layer.

Using a microplane or fine grater, zest 2 tbsp of cold butter evenly over the top of the chicken. This helps it brown and crisp beautifully in the oven.

Bake 45–55 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches 165°F and the stuffing crust is golden and crispy.

Let rest 5 minutes before serving so the coating sets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey5EuttNpWE

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