Roasted Chicken Lemon Herbs (Printable Version)
Tender roasted chicken infused with fresh herbs and zesty lemon, delivering crispy skin and juicy meat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 whole chicken (approximately 3.3 lbs), giblets removed
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Herbs & Aromatics
03 - 1 lemon, halved
04 - 4 cloves garlic, smashed
05 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
06 - 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
07 - 2 sprigs fresh sage
08 - 1 small bunch fresh parsley
→ Seasonings
09 - 2 tsp kosher salt
10 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1 tsp paprika
→ Roasting Vegetables
12 - 1 large onion, thickly sliced
13 - 2 carrots, cut into large chunks
14 - 2 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
# Directions:
01 - Preheat your oven to 425°F.
02 - Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub the skin all over with olive oil.
03 - Season the inside cavity and outside of the chicken generously with salt, pepper, and paprika.
04 - Stuff the cavity with both halves of the lemon, garlic cloves, thyme, rosemary, sage, and parsley.
05 - Spread the onion, carrots, and celery in the bottom of a roasting pan to form a base. Place the chicken breast-side up on top of the vegetables or on a rack.
06 - Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the body.
07 - Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.
08 - Remove the chicken from the oven. Let it rest for 10–15 minutes before carving.
09 - Serve with the roasted vegetables, pan juices, and extra lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The crispy skin alone is worth the effort, it shatters beautifully when you carve it
- Minimal hands on time means you can actually enjoy your company while it roasts
- The leftovers make incredible sandwiches, salads, and soup stock
02 -
- A meat thermometer takes all the guesswork out and ensures you never serve undercooked chicken
- Letting the bird rest is nonnegotiable, cutting too early releases all those precious juices
- Hot ovens create better skin, low and slow makes for rubbery results every time
03 -
- Rotate the pan halfway through cooking for even browning
- If the skin browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil
- Save the carcass for homemade stock, it makes the best soup