Turn up the flavor on your next roast with this Hot Honey Butter Roasted Chicken. Marinated in a rich blend of melted butter, hot sauce, honey, and fresh thyme, this dish delivers the perfect balance of heat and sweetness in every bite. Roasted over lemon slices and thyme sprigs for extra aromatics, the chicken comes out juicy, golden, and packed with Southern flavor. A warm drizzle of hot honey butter right before serving takes it over the top. This easy yet crowd-pleasing recipe is perfect for family dinners, holidays, or any time you want a bold twist on a classic roast.
Hot Honey Butter Roasted Chicken
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- ½ cup plus ⅓ cup salted butter, cubed, room temperature, and divided
- 6 tablespoons hot sauce*, divided
- 5 tablespoons honey, divided
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (6½- to 7-pound) whole young chicken, cut into 8 pieces, backbone and giblets discarded
- 2 lemons, cut into ¼-inch slices
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat ½ cup butter, 4 tablespoons hot sauce, 3 tablespoons honey, salt, thyme leaves, and pepper over medium heat until butter is melted. Let cool to room temperature.
- In a large resealable plastic bag, place butter mixture; add chicken. Seal bag, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 425°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- On prepared pan, arrange lemon and thyme sprigs in a single layer. Remove chicken from bag, discarding marinade, and place on lemon and thyme sprigs.
- Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 165°, 30 to 40 minutes, loosely covering with foil halfway through baking to prevent excess browning.
- In another medium saucepan, heat remaining ⅓ cup butter, remaining 3 tablespoons hot sauce, and remaining 2 tablespoons honey over medium heat until butter is melted. Serve with chicken.
Notes
*We used Crystal Hot Sauce.
