Martha Stewart Garlic Stuffed Roasted Chicken Recipe

This is the Martha Stewart roast chicken that fills your whole house with garlic. Martha Stewart’s Garlic-Stuffed Roasted Chicken takes 3/4 cup of roasted garlic, mashes it, spreads it under the skin of a whole 3 1/2 to 4-pound chicken, then sears it in a cast-iron skillet and roasts it at 425 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and the thigh reads 160 degrees.

I have made a lot of Martha Stewart roasted chicken recipes over the years, and this garlic-stuffed roast chicken is the one I come back to when I want to impress someone without making it obvious that I tried. It is one of those Martha Stewart chicken dishes where the technique is dead simple but the result looks and tastes like you spent all afternoon. Four ingredients, one skillet, and a roast chicken recipe that earns its place on a Sunday table.

Try More Dinner Recipes:

• Roast Chicken
• Spatchcock Chicken
• Baked Chicken Thighs

Why You Will Love This Garlic-Stuffed Roasted Chicken:

• The garlic goes under the skin: You loosen the skin with your fingers and spread mashed roasted garlic directly onto the meat. As the chicken roasts, the garlic melts into every bite. I remember the first time I did this and could not believe how much flavor came from such a simple move.
• Four ingredients and a skillet: Roasted garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and a whole chicken. That is the entire grocery list. I love recipes where I do not need to run to the store for anything unusual.
• The cast-iron sear changes everything: Searing the chicken in a hot skillet for one minute before it goes in the oven gives the skin a head start on crisping. When it comes out 45 minutes later, the skin is shattery and deep golden. I have tried skipping this step and the difference is night and day.

Garlic-Stuffed Roasted Chicken Ingredients

• 3/4 cup roasted garlic
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

How To Make Martha Stewart Garlic-Stuffed Roasted Chicken

1. Prep the garlic: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, roughly mash 3/4 cup of roasted garlic with a fork. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Stuff the garlic under the skin: Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat it dry. Gently slip your fingers between the skin and meat of the breast, thighs, and legs to loosen the skin. Evenly spread the mashed garlic under the skin, starting with the leg and thigh area and working your way back toward the neck.
3. Season and truss: Generously season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Tuck the wing tips underneath the chicken and tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
4. Sear in the skillet: Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or roasting pan on high. Add the olive oil, swirl to coat the skillet, then add the chicken. Cook for 1 minute.
5. Roast: Transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast the chicken until the skin is deep golden brown and the juices run clear when pierced between the breast and leg, 40 to 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should read 160 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, avoiding the bone. Let the chicken sit for 10 minutes before carving.

Recipe Tips

• Make the roasted garlic ahead: You need 3/4 cup of roasted garlic, which is roughly 3 to 4 whole heads. I roast the garlic the night before or even a few days ahead and keep it in the fridge. It takes 40 minutes to roast garlic and you do not want that wait on chicken day.
• Be gentle loosening the skin: Slip your fingers under the skin slowly to avoid tearing it. Start at the cavity opening and work toward the legs and breast. I use the back of a spoon if the skin feels tight, but fingers work best once you get the hang of it.
• Pat the chicken very dry: Wet skin does not crisp. I pat the chicken dry with paper towels twice, inside and out, then let it sit uncovered for a few minutes before seasoning. The drier the skin, the better the sear.
• Add lemon zest or herbs: Martha suggests mixing 2 tablespoons of lemon zest or chopped herbs like parsley or thyme into the mashed garlic for a different flavor. I have done this with thyme and the combination with the garlic is incredible.

What Goes Well With This Roasted Chicken

This is a Sunday dinner chicken, so I go all out on the sides. A big bowl of mashed potatoes is the first thing I make because the garlic from the chicken drips into the pan juices and you can spoon that right over the potatoes. I always make a tray of green bean casserole because it can go in the oven while the chicken rests.

If I want bread on the table, a basket of warm buttermilk biscuits is perfect for soaking up the garlicky pan drippings. I tear them open and drag them across the plate. That is the best part of the whole meal for me.

How To Store Leftovers

Pull all the meat off the bones while the chicken is still slightly warm. The garlic-infused meat tastes best when you shred it rather than slicing it, because the garlic spread gets into every piece. Store the shredded chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. You can freeze it for up to 3 months, and the roasted garlic flavor holds up well after thawing because the garlic was already cooked into the meat.

I use the leftover garlic chicken in everything. Tossed into pasta, piled on toast with a fried egg, stirred into soup. My favorite is warming up a handful in a skillet and eating it on top of a salad with whatever dressing is in the fridge. The garlic flavor is even stronger the next day, which I consider a bonus.

FAQs

• How do I make the 3/4 cup of roasted garlic? Cut the top off 3 to 4 whole heads of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes until the cloves are soft and golden. Squeeze the cloves out of the skins. I always roast extra because I end up eating half of it on bread before the chicken even goes in.
• Why does Martha sear the chicken in the skillet first? That one minute of contact on a screaming hot cast-iron gives the bottom skin a jump start on browning. Martha says to cook it for 1 minute before transferring to the oven. I do this every time and the skin comes out noticeably crispier than when I skip it.
• Why does the recipe say 160 degrees and not 165? Martha checks at 160 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh. The temperature continues to rise while the chicken rests for 10 minutes off heat, bringing it to the safe 165 mark. I pull mine right at 160 and let carryover cooking do the rest.
• Can I use a roasting pan instead of cast-iron? Martha says a roasting pan works too. I prefer cast-iron because it retains heat better and gives a harder sear, but a heavy roasting pan will get the job done. Just make sure whatever you use can go from stovetop to a 425-degree oven.

More Dinner Recipes:

• Roast Chicken
• Chicken Pot Pie
• Chicken Marsala

Nutrition Facts

(1 serving, serves 4)

• Calories: 480
• Total Fat: 28g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Cholesterol: 165mg
• Sodium: 520mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 8g
• Protein: 48g