This past fall, after shopping at a few local farms in North Carolina and Michigan, I was inspired to create a new apple butter dish for dinner. I also wanted a recipe for whole chicken or spatchcock chicken. However, this apple butter chicken recipe can be used for separate pieces of chicken as well.
Tips for Cooking a Whole Chicken
Whole chicken is used in this recipe example, however you can adjust the cook time for leg quarters, wings, breast, thighs and more. Baking a flavorful whole chicken involves a few key tips and techniques. Below you will find a few to help you achieve the perfect whole chicken for this recipe:
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- Brine the Chicken: In my previous post, I shared details on how and why you should ALWAYS brine your chicken before cooking. Brining the chicken for a few hours or overnight before cooking will help lock in moisture, resulting in a juicier meat. Click here to see my chicken brine recipe.
- Season Generously: Don’t be shy! Generously season and rub these into any chicken you’re cooking. This Apple Butter Chicken recipes uses a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, adobo, nutmeg, apple spice, and pepper.
- Baste the Chicken: While baking, baste the chicken with apple butter bbq sauce or its own juices every 20-30 minutes to keep it moist and flavorful.
- Bake Based on Chicken Size: According to Save on Foods, it’s important to bake a whole chicken based on size. Below are 3 guiding weight times:
- 2½- to 3-pound chicken: Roast 1 to 1¼ hours
- 3½- to 4-pound chicken: Roast 1¼ to 1½ hours
- 4½- to 5-pound chicken: Roast 1¾ to 2 hours
- Use a Meat Thermometer: Throughout the cooking process, it’s important to periodically check on the internal temperature of the chicken. You will know when the chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). To assist, invest in a meat thermometer and place it into the thickest part of the chicken (without touching the bone).
- Allow Chicken to Rest: Once the whole chicken reaches the desired temperature, you can remove it from the oven, and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes. I sometimes loosely cover the chicken with foil as well to retain heat. Allowing the chicken to rest will ensure the juices redistribute, resulting in juicier meat.
- Quality Matters: Be sure to invest in a good quality chicken. When shopping, look for organic or pasture-raised chickens for better flavor and texture.
How Does Apple Butter Taste With Chicken?
This Apple Butter Chicken Recipe turns traditional apple butter into a savory, tangy, yet sweet bbq sauce! Traditionally, apple butter is a concentrated, caramelized, and spiced spread made by slow-cooking apples until they break down into a smooth thick brown paste. It reminds you of apple sauce, but more smooth, with rich flavors of cinnamon and all-spice. This recipe takes the rich nutty notes from apple butter, and combines them with savory spices such as hickory smoke, garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, honey and more. The result is a rich, sweet, yet smoky gravy to baste the chicken in for cooking.
Apple Butter Chicken Recipe:
Apple Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Rub Seasoning
- 1 Whole Chicken
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Adobo All Purpose
- 1 tsp Apple Spice
- 1/2 tsp Ground Thyme
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp Ground Pepper
Apple Butter BBQ Sauce
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Apple Butter
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp Mustard Powder
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp Liquid Hickory Smoke
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Baking Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
Instructions
Chicken Prep
- Take a small sauce pan over lower medium heat, and combine all ingredients listed above in the "Apple Butter BBQ Sauce" to create an apple butter bbq sauce. Whisk until combined, turn off heat and set aside.
- Take a small bowl, measure and combine chicken rub ingredients into one bowl: garlic powder, onion powder, adobo all purpose seasoning, apple spice, thyme, nutmeg, and ground pepper. Set aside.
- If you brined your chicken, remove chicken from brine, pat dry, and apply chicken rub ingredients listed above. If chicken is not brined, wash and clean chicken, pat dry, and apply chicken rub.
Chicken Cooking Instructions
- Pre-grill chicken to infuse a smokey flavor. Sear and grill each side of the whole chicken (7-8 minutes per side). Close the grill lid during the grilling process to ensure smoke flavors penetrate chicken. Remove chicken from grill after 15 minutes, and place inside of a baking dish.
- Preheat oven to 375 F degrees (190 C). Take a basting brush, sauce and apply bbq apple butter all over grilled chicken. Once chicken is fully covered in the apple butter bbq sauce, pour around 1/2 cup of chicken broth into the corner of baking dish (or enough to slightly cover the base of the dish). This will allow the chicken to steam while baking. Cover dish with foil and bake for 1 hour (more or less depending on the size of chicken pieces). Bake chicken until an internal temperature of 165 F (74 C) is achieved. BONUS TIP: If you want a nice glaze finish, remove foil and broil the top of your chicken for a few minutes on the top rack at 500 F (260 C).
- Once chicken reaches the desired temperature, remove from oven, remove foil, and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes. If you have a spatchcock or whole chicken, carve the chicken starting with the legs, then the breast. Follow the natural joints for easier carving. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Brief Video Overview:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family does! It’s the perfect way to use apple butter in the fall and winter time, instead of the same old biscuits and pancakes combination. This recipe is also excellent with party size chicken wings! Share your results in the comments below!
Loved stumbling upon your flavorful creation! The apple butter chicken recipe looks like a taste explosion. Your easygoing style made me consider trying it, even for a non-cook like me. Cheers to your enticing culinary vibes!
Wow, this looks so yummy chicken recipe, looking at the pictures, makes me wanna eat it now haha. Great post!