Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken (Printable Version)
Juicy chicken with zesty lemon and garlic, paired with golden roasted potatoes for a flavorful meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 whole chicken (approximately 3.3 lbs), dried
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 lemon, halved
04 - 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon paprika
→ Potatoes
10 - 1.75 lbs baby potatoes, halved
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon salt
13 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
→ Garnish
15 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
16 - Lemon wedges (optional)
# Method:
01 - Set the oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - In a small bowl, blend olive oil, salt, black pepper, oregano, thyme, and paprika.
03 - Rub the chicken thoroughly inside and out with the spice mixture; stuff the cavity with lemon halves and smashed garlic cloves.
04 - Place the seasoned chicken at the center of a large roasting pan.
05 - Toss halved baby potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary, then arrange around the chicken in the roasting pan.
06 - Roast for 1 hour and 10 minutes, basting the chicken with pan juices halfway through, until skin is golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
07 - Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
08 - Serve carved chicken pieces with roasted potatoes; garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges as desired.
# Chef's Tips:
01 -
- One pan, one chicken, everything cooks together so you're free to breathe and actually enjoy having company.
- The pan drippings are liquid gold—you'll want to spoon them over everything on your plate.
- It tastes like you fussed for hours when really you just let lemon and garlic do the talking.
02 -
- A dry chicken crisps; a wet chicken steams—that patting step isn't vanity, it's the difference between skin you want to bite and skin that feels like rubber.
- Basting halfway through isn't optional fussiness; those pan juices keep the chicken moist and add incredible flavor when spooned over potatoes and meat at the end.
03 -
- If your potatoes aren't as crispy as you'd like by the time the chicken is done, pull the chicken out to rest and let the potatoes stay in the oven for another 10 minutes at high heat—they'll crisp up while your chicken relaxes.
- Buy a chicken that feels heavy for its size; you want good fat under the skin, which means better flavor and juicier meat when it roasts.