The ultimate comfort food, this simple roasted chicken is seasoned with lemon, garlic and salt to create the most perfectly tender and delicious dinner.
You know those meals you make when you’re craving nothing but comfort? The recipes you pull out when you want a home run with the whole family? Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken is definitely one of those meals for us. Crispy, crackly, salty skin surrounding tender, juicy meat – it really doesn’t get much tastier.
Roasting a whole chicken not only fills your home with the intoxicating smells of garlic, lemon and rosemary but it could. not. be. easier. You simply mix a little softened butter in a dish with freshly grated garlic and salt then spread the mixture evenly all over the bird. Shove a halved lemon and fresh herbs in the cavity and you’re good to go.
My ravenous monsters..I mean sons…have trouble waiting patiently for it to be sliced and served. Inevitably, within minutes of it coming out of the oven, they are frantically begging for samples and taste-tests. Apparently toddlers don’t seem to understand the importance of letting meat rest before slicing. The nerve.
Your fork is waiting.
- 1 roaster chicken 4-6 pounds
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 1 lemon halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
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Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and insert rack in roasting pan. Place chicken on rack and pat dry with paper towel.
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In a small bowl, mix together softened butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Rub mixture evenly on all sides of the chicken. For added flavor, carefully slide some of the garlic butter in between the skin and the breast meat.
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Place thyme, rosemary and lemon halves inside the cavity of the chicken.
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Drizzle chicken with olive oil and rub to ensure evenly coated before roasting in the oven until juices run clear when cut with a knife, 1 - 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of your bird.
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Let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.
Calories and other nutrition facts are on the higher side because they include the total calories of the skin. In reality, most people don't eat the skin which would decrease these numbers.
Oh man, I haven’t roasted a chicken in a while… and this looks like it would make for some perfect leftovers this week.
I bet you make killer roast chicken!
This roasted chicken looks fantastic, and I totally agree that there is nothing that smells better than a chicken roasting!
What a great way to mix up the chicken recipes – love this with the lemon and herbs!
I love these ingredients all together, especially with chicken. It does make the kitchen/apartment smell heavenly. I love the crispy skin too. Nothing goes to waste when I am around! ;)
That’s the truth girl!
Ha ha, can just picture the boys waiting patiently…I bet this smells delicious while cooking!
It is an intoxicating smell!
Oh my goodness!! yummy!! Now that makes me hungry!! It’s almost Lunch time to!
I hope you can try it!
I need to start roasting more chickens. So easy and so flavorful. I also love all the fantastic odors I get in my house when roasting chickens. The best smell ever!!
I say the SAME thing every time!!! So dang easy!