Description
This Herb & Garlic Butter Chicken Marylands recipe features juicy chicken leg quarters infused with a flavorful garlic and herb butter. Roasted to crispy perfection with a splash of white wine, this dish combines tender meat with aromatic rosemary and thyme for a deliciously comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 pieces (~1.5 kg / 3 lb) chicken marylands (leg quarters) or 8 bone-in, skin-on thighs
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/3 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine (substitute low-sodium chicken stock/broth if preferred)
Herb & Garlic Butter
- 100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 4 garlic cloves, minced using a garlic press
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped (if using dried, see note)
- 2 tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped (if using dried, see note)
- 3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F) or 200°C fan (400°F conventional).
- Prepare Herb & Garlic Butter: In a bowl, mix together the softened unsalted butter, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, 3/4 tsp salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Butter the Chicken: Using an upside-down tablespoon, gently loosen the skin from the flesh on the thigh and leg of each chicken piece. Smear about 80% of the herb and garlic butter under the skin, a small amount (~5%) on the flesh side (underside), and the remainder on top of the skin. This ensures maximum flavor penetration.
- Arrange Chicken in Pan: Place the buttered chicken pieces skin side up in a roasting pan. Sprinkle the skin with 1/2 tsp of salt evenly. Pour the white wine around the chicken pieces, not over them, to add moisture and flavor during roasting.
- Roast the Chicken: Place the roasting pan in the oven. Roast at 220°C/425°F for 10 minutes to crisp the skin. Then lower the oven temperature to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan) and continue roasting for an additional 40 minutes. Starting at 20 minutes into this stage, baste the chicken with the pan juices every 10 minutes to keep it moist and flavorful.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Serve hot with the garlic-herb-butter pan juices spooned over the top as a rich sauce.
Notes
- Note 1: Using bone-in, skin-on thighs is a good alternative if marylands are unavailable.
- Note 2: Minced garlic can be prepared with a garlic press for best flavor distribution.
- Note 3: If using dried rosemary or thyme, use about half the amount since dried herbs are more concentrated.
- Note 4: Loosening the skin without tearing is important to evenly distribute the herb butter underneath for juicy chicken.
