The secret to this easy Balsamic Roasted Chicken is the honey, mustard & balsamic marinade, which makes the meat unbelievably tender and juicy. Serve this roast chicken with the simple homemade cherry sauce for a festive Sunday lunch.
Whole roasted chicken has become a staple here because it’s convenient, easy to prepare, and much more economical than buying separate cuts. Roast a chicken at the weekend: enjoy the dark meat immediately and use the breasts in salads, sandwiches, or quick dinners during the week.
With this balsamic roasted chicken, I marinate the bird overnight in a blend of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard and honey. The result is meat that’s moist and wonderfully tender. After roasting, my partner makes an incredible broth with the carcass that we use for soups and risottos.
This recipe is simple enough for a weeknight yet elegant enough for guests. Paired with the bright, lightly sweet cherry sauce it becomes a fitting centerpiece for holiday meals or a cozy Sunday lunch.
While the balsamic marinade is fantastic on its own, the cherry sauce is my favorite companion for this roast. It balances sweetness and acidity and comes together in less than 15 minutes. I used frozen pitted cherries and ended up with a glossy, deep-red sauce that’s beautiful on the plate.
We served part of the sauce with the chicken and saved the rest to drizzle over morning pancakes — it’s delicious both ways and made without refined sugar.
Enjoy!
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Balsamic Roasted Chicken with Easy Cherry Sauce
The honey, mustard and balsamic marinade keeps this roasted chicken juicy and flavorful. Serve it with the quick cherry sauce for a festive touch.
Main Course
American
baked, balsamic, cherry sauce, chicken, easy, festive, holidays, marinade, recipe, roast, simple
Ingredients
-
1
whole chicken
3-4 lbs / 1.3-1.8 kg -
2/3
cup
balsamic vinegar -
1
tbsp
olive oil -
2
tbsp
Dijon mustard -
1
tbsp
honey -
2
fresh rosemary sprigs -
2
fresh thyme sprigs
optional
Easy Cherry Sauce
-
10
oz
frozen pitted cherries
300 g -
1
tbsp
cornstarch
dissolved in 2 tbsp water -
1
tbsp
lemon juice -
1/3
cup
honey -
1/3
cup
water
Instructions
-
Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.
For the marinade:
-
Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard and honey. Place the chicken in a large bowl or a large zip-top bag and pour the marinade over it. If using a bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours (overnight is best). Turn the chicken once or twice if possible so it marinates evenly.
For the chicken:
-
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
-
Place one rosemary sprig inside the chicken cavity and arrange the bird in a large baking dish. Do not discard the remaining marinade — use it to baste. Roast for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the chicken is cooked through, basting occasionally with the marinade. When done, remove from the oven and tuck rosemary and thyme sprigs around the drumsticks for presentation.
For the cherry sauce:
-
While the chicken cooks, combine the cherries, honey and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
-
Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
-
Serve the sauce alongside or spooned over slices of roasted chicken.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition for the chicken alone: Cal: 376 – Protein: 28.6 g – Fat: 25.3 g – Carbs: 7.7 g – Fiber: 4.2 g – Sugar: 2.8 g. WW Old Points: 9 pts – Points+: 9 pts.
Nutrition for the sauce alone: Cal: 85 – Protein: 0.52 g – Fat: 0.22 g – Carbs: 22.2 g – Fiber: 0.85 g – Sugar: 19.9 g. WW Old Points: 2 pts – Points+: 2 pts.
Marinade adapted from the “Christmas Cooking with the Weekly” cookbook (The Women’s Weekly).
Calories from Fat 162