By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 12
274 cal · 110 min
Roasted Chicken and Plums
Recipe GLPRaace5751728642
A French-inspired main course featuring two whole roasted chickens surrounded by halved plums, rosemary, and a light honey-butter glaze. The plums soften during roasting and develop a rich, jammy quality while the chickens achieve golden, crispy skin. Elegant, aromatic, and perfect for a sophisticated dinner.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
2 whole chickens, about 4 pounds each
Sea salt, preferably Maldon
10 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 pounds small plums, halved and pitted
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Pat the chickens dry with paper towels and season inside and out generously with sea salt.
Arrange the rosemary sprigs on a large roasting pan, creating a bed that will flavor the birds as they cook. Place the seasoned chickens breast-side up on top of the rosemary.
Roast the chickens for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F, ensuring the meat is fully cooked through.
While the chickens cook, prepare the plum glaze by stirring together the honey and melted butter in a small bowl.
After the chickens have roasted for 45 minutes, scatter the halved plums around them in the pan. Brush the plums with the honey-butter glaze.
Continue roasting for the remaining time until the chickens reach the proper temperature. The plums should be tender and glossy from the glaze.
Remove from the oven and let the chickens rest for 10 minutes before carving. Transfer to a serving platter and arrange the roasted plums and pan drippings around the chicken.
Comments
This is a straightforward roasted chicken with a plum-honey glaze that checks all the basic boxes for Charlotte home cooking. Every ingredient is standard stock at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, and Walmart year-round; plums peak in summer but frozen work fine in winter, and rosemary is always available. Cost per serving lands around $1.50 to $2.00, driven entirely by the chicken itself—the plums, honey, butter, and herbs are negligible. The 110-minute time is honest and includes 45–50 minutes roasting plus resting, so a weeknight timeline works if you start by 4:30 p.m. It feeds 12 as a lighter second course or 6 to 8 as a main with sides, and it reheats cleanly in a low oven, making it practical for leftovers. The main limitation is that it is genuinely simple—no complexity, no surprise—which is not a fault but means it lives or dies on execution and ingredient quality rather than technique or creativity.
Sign in or create a free account to add your review.
