Description
This Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken is a juicy, tender, and flavorful dish featuring a whole chicken roasted to golden perfection with a fragrant butter mixture of garlic, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest. The chicken is roasted on a bed of onions, garlic, and lemon, making it a perfect main course for a family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Aromatics
- 1 5-pound whole chicken (thawed and giblets removed)
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
- 2 large lemons, quartered
- 2 heads garlic, cut in half crosswise
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Lemon Garlic Herb Butter
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- Zest of 2 large lemons
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Additional Seasoning and Liquid
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chicken broth or water, about 1 cup for the pan
Instructions
- Bring chicken to room temperature: Let the whole chicken sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes so it is not cold before cooking, ensuring even roasting.
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and position the rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Prepare lemon garlic herb butter: In a bowl, mix the melted butter with minced garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme leaves, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Set aside.
- Dry and season chicken under the skin: Pat the chicken dry thoroughly with paper towels, including inside the cavity. Gently separate the skin and insert a spoon to create pockets. Spread more than half of the herb butter evenly under the skin, pressing down gently to distribute the garlic and herbs.
- Stuff the cavity: Insert one quartered lemon, one quartered onion, one halved head of garlic, one rosemary sprig, and one thyme sprig into the chicken cavity.
- Tie legs and tuck wings: Use kitchen twine to tie the chicken legs together and tuck in the wings under the chicken’s back or clip wing tips to prevent burning.
- Prepare roasting bed: Arrange the remaining quartered onions, garlic halves, lemon quarters, and herbs in a large roasting pan. Place the prepared chicken breast side up on top.
- Apply remaining butter and seasoning: Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside skin of the chicken. Season the exterior with about 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Add approximately 1 cup of chicken broth or water to the bottom of the pan to prevent drippings from burning.
- Roast the chicken: Place the pan in the oven and roast for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Replenish liquid as needed to keep the drippings from burning. Rotate the pan if certain spots brown too quickly and cover those spots with foil if necessary. The chicken is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest breast and thigh registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rest and serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving to retain juices and moisture. Serve and enjoy your delicious lemon herb roasted chicken.
Notes
- This roasted chicken yields juicy, tender meat with crispy golden skin—ideal for a Sunday family dinner.
- Letting the chicken rest before cooking ensures more even cooking and juicier meat.
- Using a meat thermometer is essential to prevent under- or overcooking. Ensure 165°F internal temperature.
- If parts brown too quickly, cover them with foil to avoid burning.
- You can replenish the liquid in the pan during roasting to prevent dry drippings and keep the chicken moist.
- Kitchen twine helps keep the bird compact and promotes even cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 784 kcal
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 1516 mg
- Fat: 46 g
- Saturated Fat: 21 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 83 g
- Cholesterol: 1131 mg
