Roast Garlic and Lemon Chicken (Print View)
Juicy whole chicken roasted with garlic, lemon, and herbs for crispy skin and tender meat
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 whole chicken (about 3.3 lbs), giblets removed
→ Marinade
02 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
03 - 2 lemons (1 zested and juiced, 1 sliced into rounds)
04 - 3 tbsp olive oil
05 - 2 tsp salt
06 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
07 - 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
08 - 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 tsp dried rosemary)
→ Roasting Vegetables
09 - 2 large onions, quartered
10 - 3 carrots, cut into chunks
11 - 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
# Step-by-Step Directions:
01 - Preheat your oven to 425°F.
02 - In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary to make the marinade.
03 - Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and rub half of the marinade directly onto the meat under the skin. Rub the remaining marinade all over the outside of the chicken.
04 - Stuff the chicken cavity with the lemon slices and a few sprigs of extra thyme or rosemary, if desired.
05 - Arrange the onions, carrots, and celery in a large roasting pan. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, breast side up.
06 - Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced, and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.
07 - Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with the roasted vegetables and pan juices.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The combination of garlic and lemon creates this incredible bright savory aroma that fills your entire home
- Crispy skin practically demands to be eaten while the meat stays impossibly juicy
- Its one of those dishes that looks impressive but requires surprisingly little hands on effort
02 -
- Patting the chicken completely dry before applying the marinade is the secret to crispy skin
- Letting the meat rest prevents all those delicious juices from escaping onto your cutting board
03 -
- Leaving the chicken uncovered in the fridge for an hour before roasting dries the skin for extra crispiness
- Serve the pan juices alongside the chicken instead of making gravy because they're pure liquid gold