Roasted Chicken Lemon Herbs (Printable Version)
A juicy roasted chicken enhanced with lemon and fresh herbs for crisp skin and bold flavor.
# What You'll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 1 whole chicken (approximately 3.5 lbs), giblets removed
→ Aromatics & Herbs
02 - 1 large lemon, halved
03 - 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
04 - 6 sprigs fresh thyme
05 - 4 sprigs fresh parsley
06 - 4 garlic cloves, smashed
→ Seasonings
07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
08 - 1½ tsp kosher salt
09 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Vegetables for Roasting Bed
10 - 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
11 - 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
12 - 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F.
02 - Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place it breast-side up in a roasting pan or oven-proof skillet.
03 - Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, 2 sprigs of rosemary, 3 sprigs of thyme, 2 sprigs of parsley, and the smashed garlic cloves.
04 - Tuck the wings under the chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine, if desired.
05 - Rub the chicken all over with olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper.
06 - Scatter the onion, carrots, and celery around the chicken in the pan to add flavor and create a natural rack.
07 - Place the remaining rosemary, thyme, and parsley sprigs on top of and around the chicken.
08 - Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F.
09 - Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
10 - Carve and serve with pan juices and roasted vegetables.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The crisp skin gives way to impossibly juicy meat that tastes like you spent all day on it
- It requires almost zero active cooking time but looks impressive enough for dinner guests
02 -
- Drying the chicken thoroughly before roasting is the secret to crisp skin that actually shatters when you cut into it
- Letting it rest might feel like torture when everyone is hungry, but cutting too early spills all those precious juices onto your cutting board
03 -
- A meat thermometer takes the guesswork out and ensures you never serve undercooked poultry again
- The vegetables underneath the chicken become caramelized and delicious, so save them for serving