There’s something magical about the combination of sweet honey and warm cinnamon that transforms a simple roast chicken into an unforgettable meal. This Cinnamon and Honey Roast Chicken recipe brings together these two ingredients to create a perfectly balanced dish with crispy skin, juicy meat, and a flavor profile that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds), patted dry
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, mix honey, olive oil, ground cinnamon, and minced garlic to create your basting mixture.
- Gently separate the skin from the chicken breast with your fingers, being careful not to tear it. Rub the softened butter directly onto the meat under the skin.
- Season the chicken cavity with salt and pepper, then stuff it with the lemon halves, cinnamon sticks, and half of the quartered onion.
- Place remaining onion pieces in the bottom of a roasting pan to create a natural rack for the chicken.
- Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under. Place the chicken breast-side up on the onion bed.
- Brush the chicken generously with the honey-cinnamon mixture and season the exterior with remaining salt and pepper.
- Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting every 20 minutes with the honey mixture and pan juices.
- The chicken is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C).
- Let rest for 15 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.
Cook Time and Serving Size
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 4-6 people
Recipe Notes
For best results, remember these helpful tips:
- Patting the chicken dry before seasoning is crucial for achieving crispy skin.
- If the chicken starts browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil.
- Don’t skip the basting steps – they’re essential for developing that beautiful glazed exterior.
- For a deeper flavor, you can marinate the chicken with the honey-cinnamon mixture for up to 4 hours before cooking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- If honey begins to darken too quickly in the oven, reduce temperature by 25 degrees.
- Let the chicken rest on a cutting board, not in the roasting pan, to prevent the bottom from getting soggy.
Cinnamon and Honey Roast Chicken
This Cinnamon and Honey Roast Chicken recipe brings together honey and cinnamon to create a perfectly balanced dish with crispy skin, juicy meat, and a flavor profile that'll have everyone asking for seconds.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken 4-5 pounds, patted dry
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lemon halved
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 large onion quartered
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, mix honey, olive oil, ground cinnamon, and minced garlic to create your basting mixture.
- Gently separate the skin from the chicken breast with your fingers, being careful not to tear it. Rub the softened butter directly onto the meat under the skin.
- Season the chicken cavity with salt and pepper, then stuff it with the lemon halves, cinnamon sticks, and half of the quartered onion.
- Place remaining onion pieces in the bottom of a roasting pan to create a natural rack for the chicken.
- Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under. Place the chicken breast-side up on the onion bed.
- Brush the chicken generously with the honey-cinnamon mixture and season the exterior with remaining salt and pepper.
- Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting every 20 minutes with the honey mixture and pan juices.
- The chicken is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C).
- Let rest for 15 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.
