Easy Lemon Herb Roast Chicken
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Low-Carb
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds), giblets removed
- 1 large lemon, halved
- 1 head of garlic, sliced in half horizontally
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or melted unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon paprika (optional for color)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). While the oven heats up, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Pat the chicken completely dry inside and out using paper towels. This is the most important step for ensuring the skin becomes crispy rather than soggy.
- Generously sprinkle salt and pepper inside the chicken cavity. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, the garlic halves, and the quartered onion. These aromatics will steam inside the chicken, infusing the meat with incredible flavor and moisture.
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil (or butter) with the chopped rosemary, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub this mixture all over the outside of the chicken, making sure to coat the wings and legs. For extra flavor, gently loosen the skin over the breast meat and rub some of the herb mixture underneath the skin.
- Place the chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan or a large oven-safe cast-iron skillet. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine if desired. Roast in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute through the meat, ensuring every bite is moist and tender.
Find it online: https://www.flavfresh.com/dinner/easy-lemon-herb-roast-chicken/