This Thanksgiving Chicken with sage and rosemary is juicy, golden brown, and stuffed with sourdough stuffing. An aromatic bird that deserves a spot as the centerpiece of your holiday table, this roast chicken is festive and flavorful, and perfect for smaller groups.
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Bet the first dish that comes to mind when you think of Thanksgiving recipes is turkey? For most, a large double-digit pounder that feeds twenty is usually nestled at the center of the table alongside cozy side dishes like green bean casserole, twice baked potatoes, and a Thanksgiving salad.
Whether you’re hosting a small gathering or a larger feast, a beautifully roasted chicken can be just as festive and flavorful – with jalapeño cranberry sauce, please. Golden-brown, succulent, and stuffed with sourdough bread stuffing, this Thanksgiving chicken is dry brined in sage and rosemary making it an aromatic bird that's just as deserving as turkey. And while it’s a big change from the traditional, we guarantee you this Thanksgiving Chicken will warm your table and your tummy this holiday.
Why You’ll Love This Thanksgiving Chicken Recipe
- It cooks quickly: Unlike a large turkey, a whole roast chicken typically cooks faster, which means you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the company of friends and family – or more time for side dishes!
- It’s cheaper: You can get a fully pasteurized chicken for way less per pound than a turkey. And if one chicken isn’t enough, you can still stay within budget and spring for two chickens to feed your holiday crowd.
- It’s flavorful: Just because it’s a different bird doesn’t mean it still can’t be traditional. With a sage and rosemary dry brine and stuffing center, this Thanksgiving Turkey is simple and uses the same methods you would for a traditional turkey.
Serve our Thanksgiving Chicken with our Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes, Bacon Green Beans, Sautéed Butternut Squash, and Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust.
Ingredient List
- Chicken: use the best quality roasting chicken available, about 4-6 pounds, and as fresh as possible.
- Salt: this recipe uses fine sea salt. Kosher salt is an excellent alternative, however, if using kosher salt, increase the amount by 50% to account for its larger size.
- Black Pepper: freshly ground black pepper.
- Sage: we use fresh sage for a Thanksgiving flavor. Dry sage works as well, but use half the amount.
- Rosemary: use fresh chopped rosemary if available. Dry rosemary can be used in half the amount.
- Butter: salted butter is rubbed below the skin for juiciness and flavor.
- Chicken Stock: used in the bottom of the pan to prevent the drippings from smoking and as the base for gravy. Homemade or store-bought chicken stock can be used. Water can be used also.
- Optional Stuffing: since this is a Thanksgiving chicken, we have stuffed the chicken with Sourdough Stuffing, but this can be omitted or swapped with an aromatic stuffing of onions and citrus to add flavor to the chicken.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Substitutions and Modifications
- Try it with turkey: if serving a large family, use this same method for roasting turkey.
- Mix up the herbs and spices: dry brine is a great vehicle for adding flavor. Try different herbs such as thyme, parsley, tarragon, or basil, and different spices, such as paprika, cayenne, cumin, celery salt, or mustard powder - just to name a few.
- Add a little sweetness: a touch of brown or granulated sugar gives a subtle sweetness and will add color to the chicken when cooked.
- To stuff or not to stuff: swap the stuffing out with an aromatic stuffing of onions, garlic, and lemon wedges. While not edible, these ingredients will add flavor to the meat as it steams in the cavity of the chicken.
- Add some vegetables: add carrots, parsnips, onions, or other root vegetables to the bottom of the pan to roast along with the chicken. They will soak up the juices of the chicken for even more flavor.
Recipe Steps: How to Make Thanksgiving Chicken
1. Make the brine.
Combine salt, chopped sage, chopped rosemary, and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Brine the chicken.
Place the chicken on a baking sheet. Season the cavity with 2-3 teaspoons of brine and rub the remaining brine over the skin. Place on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate for 18-36 hours. Remove from the fridge 1 hour before roasting.
3. Stuff the Chicken.
If using bread stuffing, prepare it at least 1 hour before roasting. Spoon the stuffing into the cavity, pressing lightly. If not using bread stuffing, fill the cavity with onion wedges, lemon wedges, and a bunch of sage and rosemary.
4. Prepare for Roasting.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Tie the chicken legs with butcher's twine to secure the stuffing and improve cooking consistency and presentation. Use your fingers to separate the skin from the breast meat and stuff 1-2 tablespoons of butter under the skin of each breast. Rub the remaining butter over the outside of the chicken.
5. Bake the Chicken.
Place a wire rack in a roasting pan and add 1 cup of water or chicken stock. Set the chicken breast-side up on the rack and roast for 80-90 minutes, until the skin is golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. After 1 hour, baste the chicken every 10-15 minutes. Let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Chef's Tips
- Don’t overstuff the chicken: while you want the cavity to be filled with stuffing, don’t pack it in too tight. If so, it will take longer to cook and could cause your chicken to dry out.
- Start with a high temp, then lower it: preheat the oven to 450°F and roast the chicken for the first 15 minutes at this temperature before lowering the oven to 375°F for the remainder of the cook. This initial cooking gives the chicken a crispy and golden skin.
- Baste, but not too much: baste the chicken only 2-3 times when roasting to prevent excessive temperature loss when opening the oven.
- Don’t overcook the chicken: remove the chicken as soon as the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat is 165°F, or when the temperature stuffing reads 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest: ensure to let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes after roasting before you slice it. Resting
Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
Make ahead: this is a recipe that benefits from brining well ahead of time. Brine the chicken for at least 24 hours, but brining may be done up to 96 hours for even more flavor and juicier results.
Storage: allow the chicken to come to room temperature before storing leftovers. The chicken can be left whole to be stored or you can strip the meat from the bones and store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. We recommend the latter, then use the bones to make chicken stock.
Freezing: allow the chicken to come to room temperature and strip the meat from the bones. Transfer the chicken to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
We prefer to roast chicken at 400°F from start to finish, which allows the chicken to cook through and achieve a perfectly golden skin.
At 400°F, stuffed chicken will take about 20 minutes per pound and an unstuffed chicken will take about 15 minutes per pound. This is a guideline, however, you should always test the doneness using a meat thermometer.
You know your chicken is fully cooked if it reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the chicken. Always use a meat thermometer to test the doneness. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can test doneness by cutting into the thickest part of the chicken. If the juices run clear, then the chicken is cooked.
We don’t recommend roasting a chicken from frozen, however, it can be done but will take about 50% longer to cook. Do not stuff the chicken if cooking from frozen and set the temperature to 350°F to ensure it doesn’t roast too quickly.
It is not necessary to cover a chicken with foil while roasting, however, if you find the skin is getting too dark, tenting foil overtop of the chicken will prevent the chicken from getting darker.
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Recipe Card
Thanksgiving Chicken with Sage and Rosemary
Ingredients
Dry Brine
- 2 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon rosemary fresh chopped
- 1 tablespoon sage fresh chopped
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Chicken
- 4-6 lb chicken
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup chicken stock
Instructions
- Combine salt, chopped sage, chopped rosemary, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Place the chicken on a plate or baking sheet. Season the inside cavity of the chicken with about 2-3 teaspoons of the brine. Sprinkle the outside of the chicken with the remaining brine and rub it into the skin. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack placed over a baking sheet and refrigerate for 24-48 hours. Remove the chicken from the fridge 1 hour before roasting.
- If stuffing the chicken with bread stuffing, then make the stuffing at least 1 hour before roasting the chicken. Use your hand to open up the cavity of the chicken then spoon the stuffing into the bird, pressing the stuffing along the way so it is lightly packed. If you prefer not to stuff the chicken with bread stuffing then lightly stuff the cavity with a few onion wedges, lemon wedges, and a bunch of sage and rosemary.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Tie the legs of the chicken together with butcher’s twine. This will help hold the stuffing in place and give the chicken a nice presentation when roasted. Use your index and middle finger to separate the skin from the flesh of the chicken breasts. Stuff 1-2 tablespoons of butter into this space on each breast. Rub the remaining butter on the outside of the chicken.
- Place a wire rack in a roasting pan and pour about 1 cup of water or chicken stock into the pan. Set the chicken on the wire rack, breast side up. Roast the chicken for about 80-90 minutes total, until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature of the chicken and stuffing reaches 165°F. After 1 hour of roasting, baste the chicken every 10-15 minutes until fully cooked. Rest the chicken for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
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