• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cooking On The Weekends
  • About
    • Press
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • "How To"
  • Work with Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
×
Home » Main Courses » Chicken & Turkey Main Courses » Blackberry Butter Roasted Chicken

Blackberry Butter Roasted Chicken

Sep 3, 2014 · by Valentina · 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

Blackberry Butter Roasted Chicken is subtly sweet, wonderfully aromatic and a comfort food through and through. This recipe is over-the-top delicious, and it presents beautifully for a casual or elegant dinner party.Roasted Chicken with Blackberry Butter on a blue platter with fresh blackberries.

Right off the bat, you might not think to pair blackberries with chicken, but I'm here to tell you it's an incredibly delicious combination.

You'll get rave reviews when you serve Blackberry Butter Roasted Chicken!

Roasted to perfection, the chicken skin is beautifully caramelized, making it a beautiful centerpiece, surrounded by fresh blackberries and thyme.

Golden Roasted Chicken with Blackberry Butter on blue plate

These ingredients in this recipe are simply dreamy together!

Can you use frozen blackberries?

Yes, but thaw them first, and drain any excess liquid.

Can you substitute dry thyme for fresh?

Yes you can. You should use two-thirds the amount.

blackberry bush with red and black, blackberriesFun fact: Did you know blackberries are one of the most most nutrient dense fruits on the planet? It's true! Find more information about that here.

How to Perfectly Roast a Whole Chicken

This applies to this Blackberry Butter Roasted Chicken, and any time you roast a whole chicken. The below timing is for an approximately four pound chicken.

  1. Once the chicken has been basted (according to whatever recipe you’re using), truss it, place it breast side up in a greased roasting pan with at least a couple inches of space around it.
  2. Place the pan in a 500°F oven, and roast until the surface of the chicken is golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
  3. Remove the chicken from the oven and reduce the heat to 350°F.
  4. Now flip the chicken over so it’s breast side down, and with the back facing up, baste it again.
  5. Continue to roast until internal temperature is 155°F, about 40 minutes. (Baste the chicken every so often.)
  6. Once you remove the chicken from the oven, crumple up a few sheets of foil and place it under the chicken, beneath the legs. This will let all of the juices flow into the breasts while it rests. Let it rest this way for 15 minutes.
  7. The final internal temperature should be about 165°F, as the chicken will continue to cook for several minutes outside of the oven. It should be nicely browned, the juices should run clear and the legs should move easily when it’s done.

I hope you love this Blackberry Butter Roasted Chicken as much as I do!

More roasted chicken recipes:

  • Apple-Bacon Roasted Chicken Recipe
  • Herbs de Provence Orange Roasted Chicken
  • Simple Honey-Lemon Roasted Chicken
  • Greek Yogurt Roasted Chicken
whole roasted blackberry chicken on a blue plate

Blackberry Butter Roasted Chicken

Valentina K. Wein
Subtly sweet, wonderfully aromatic and a comfort food through and through, this recipe is over-the-top delicious.
Print
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Resting Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 492 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • about 1⅓ cups fresh blackberries, washed and dried, divided
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme, washed and dried
  • ¼ teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (approximately 4 pound) whole chicken
  • a few sprigs of fresh thyme for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Set the oven and make the blackberry butter. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
    In a small bowl, combine the softened butter with ⅓ cup of the blackberries, and use the back of a small fork to mash them. Then add the lemon zest, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix until it's relatively smooth (there will be pieces of blackberries throughout). Set aside.
  • Prep the chicken and baking dish. Remove the insides of the chicken, and pat dry with paper towels.
    Spread about 2 tablespoons of the blackberry-thyme butter on the bottom of a small roasting pan that's at least a couple of inches larger than the chicken, on all sides.
  • Baste and truss. Place the chicken in the pan, on top of the butter, breast side up. Rub the blackberry-thyme butter mixture under the skin. (This should include the breasts and legs.) Work your way under as much of the skin as possible -- if you're very gentle, it won't tear.
    Now truss the chicken with butcher's twine. (Here's How to Truss a Chicken.) (It's also okay to just tie the ends of the legs together if trussing it becomes tricky.)
    Rub the remaining blackberry-thyme butter mixture on top -- all over the skin of the chicken.
  • Begin roasting. Being sure the chicken is breast side up, place the pan in the preheated 500°F oven and roast until the surface of the chicken is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and reduce the heat to 350°F.
  • Flip. Very carefully, using tongs, placing one part inside the cavity and one gently on the top of the breast side, flip the chicken over so it's breast side down.
  • Continue roasting. Once the oven has cooled to 350°F, continue to roast the chicken until internal temperature is 155°F -- this should take about an hour, but focus only on the temperature and not the time. (For an accurate reading of the temperature, place the thermometer deep into the flesh, away from bones.) During the roasting process, every 15 or so, use a spoon to baste the chicken with the butter and juices from the bottom of the pan.
    The final internal temperature will be about 165°F, as the chicken will continue to cook for several minutes outside of the oven. It should be nicely browned, the juices should run clear and the legs should move easily when it's done. (If you think it's getting too brown before the chicken is cooked, lightly cover it with foil in the oven.)
  • Let the chicken rest. When you remove the chicken from the oven, baste it again, and then use a few pieces of crumbled foil to tilt it (place them beneath one end), so the breast end is down. This allows all of the juices to flow to the breasts. Wait at least 15 minutes before carving.
  • Garnish. Use the remaining 1 cup of the blackberries and the thyme sprigs for garnish.

NOTES

Calorie count is only an estimate.

NUTRITION

Calories: 492kcal
Keywords chicken for family dinner, fall comfort food recipes
Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 


More Chicken & Turkey Main Courses

  • Italian yellow-edged bowl full with chicken and rice soup with carrot slices.
    Hearty Chicken Vegetable and Rice Soup
  • Chicken sandwich cut in half on wrinkled parchment paper.
    Grilled Chicken Sandwich from Greg's Grill
  • Sliced chicken roulade filled with sun-dried tomato, basil and cheese.
    Chicken Roulade
  • Shredded Fall-Apart Dutch-Oven Chicken in a small square casserole dish on a red-checked cloth.
    Fall-Apart Dutch Oven Chicken

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Judy

    September 04, 2014 at 3:03 pm

    I have been looking for fruit based recipe like this, I can't wait to make it.

    Reply
  2. David

    September 07, 2014 at 6:55 am

    I have to say that the chicken looks amazing! What a unique combination of flavors - will definitely try this (if blackberries are still producing in Tucson!).

    Reply
    • valentina

      September 09, 2014 at 6:12 am

      Thanks David. I'm trying to use blackberries where I can because they're just do pretty! (And apparently really healthy!)

      Reply
  3. Mimi Rippee

    April 17, 2023 at 5:19 am

    Oh wow!!! I’ve never thought of this! What a unique and fabulous idea. Wow. I can’t wait!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

More about me →

IT'S MANGO SEASON!

  • Black bowl filled with mango salsa with a small Habanero pepper right on top.
    Mango Habanero Salsa
  • Chicken pieces on the bone baked in mango coconut sauce in a baking dish with fresh cilantro.
    Baked Coconut Mango Chicken
  • Stacked slices of Chipotle Mango Quesadillas.
    Chipotle Mango Quesadillas
  • Mango Avocado Pesto Stack Recipe -- Fresh, sweet, creamy and slightly spicy -- you won't believe how utterly delicious a combination of mango, avocado and pesto is!
    Mango Avocado Stack with Pesto

EARLY SUMMER HITS

  • White plate with pattern on the edges full with large turkey zucchini meatballs and zoodles.
    Turkey Zucchini Meatballs with Pesto
  • Light green bowl with strawberry and goat cheese salad and a dark wooden twisted-handled serving spoon.
    Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
  • Green Lemon pesto with lemon slice and basil leaf on top, in a green bowl, fitted inside a yellow bowl.
    Lemon Pesto
  • Basil Pizza with one slice being taken off the plate.
    Basil Pizza with Pesto

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Press

Newsletter

Get new recipes you’ll love!

Contact

  • Contact
  • Work with Me

Review the privacy policy for Cooking on the Weekends

Copyright © 2024 Cooking On The Weekends, All Rights Reserved