Easy Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken
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When you taste this Easy Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken you will know you found the ultimate chicken recipe. Tart lemon, fragrant rosemary, and onion subtly flavor the chicken, the meat is moist and the skin is perfectly crispy. This has become one of my all-time favorite chicken recipes along with Mediterranean Chicken, Agrodolce Chicken and Chicken with Spinach and Tomatoes.
What I Love About this Recipe
My sister-in-law recently spent a few days with us and I wanted to make a nice dinner but did not want to spend hours in the kitchen preparing a meal.
This whole roasted chicken recipe was perfect! In the time that it took to preheat the oven, the chicken was prepped and ready for roasting. It was so easy and the result was so impressive that you would have thought that I had slaved over this dinner. In reality, this was an incredibly simple meal that required minimal effort!
None of the flavors are overpowering. The chicken is infused with subtle elegant flavors of rosemary, lemon, and onion as it cooks.
This recipe is easy enough for a weeknight, but welcoming and comforting enough for a Sunday dinner.
It also fits into various diets. Like my Bottom Round Roast, it is the perfect main course for a low-carb, Whole 30, gluten-free, or dairy-free meal. Don’t you love it when you find a recipe that works for so many people?
Simple Ingredients You Need
A few fresh ingredients are all you need to make this easy lemon rosemary chicken recipe.
Whole chicken: Whole chickens are a great way to please both white and dark meat lovers. Make sure to dry the chicken inside and outside with paper towels.
Fresh Rosemary: Whole fresh rosemary sprigs impart delicious herby flavors to the chicken.
Lemons: Whole lemons can be cut in half and stuffed into the cavity of the chicken to infuse it with a lovely fresh flavor.
Whole Onions: Remove the skins and quarter the onion.
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
Olive Oil: Using olive oil will help to create crispy skin.
How to make Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken
There is a reason why Easy is in the recipe title.
1. Prepare the Chicken: To prepare the chicken, remove the gizzards and any other parts stuffed in the cavity. Dry the chicken with paper towels, inside and out.
2. Season the Chicken: Generously salt and pepper the inside of the bird first, then turn your attention to the outside.
Lift the skin on the breast and massage some olive oil on the breast meat, then rub it with salt and pepper. Next, massage olive oil on the skin of the chicken, making sure to grease the whole chicken, including the bottom. Quarter an onion and two lemons and stuff them into the cavity along with three sprigs of rosemary. Generously salt and pepper the skin, place it in a roasting pan fitted with a rack, and transfer it to the oven.
3. Roast the Bird: For this recipe, I set the oven at 425 degrees F and rely on the bird’s internal temperature to dictate when to remove it from the oven. After about 45 minutes of roasting, start checking the chicken’s internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken.
4. Rest the Chicken: Once the chicken is removed from the oven, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before cutting it.
Enjoy your dinner!
What to Serve with Rosemary Lemon Chicken
A good chicken recipe gives you so many options for creating delicious meals. Served with a side of rice, Butternut Squash Risotto, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, or Stuffed Artichokes this is perfect for a dinner party with friends. For wine options, I like to pair Lemon Rosemary chicken with a crisp white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
It is an easy dish to pair with creamy mashed potatoes and green beans for a comforting family supper. If you are trying to prepare healthy meals, this recipe will fit right in. Add a side of Grilled Eggplant and a salad, and you have a scrumptious, low-calorie dinner.
Leftovers
Leftover roasted chicken will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days if placed in an airtight container. Turn the leftover chicken into chicken salad for a delicious lunch. Another option would be to shred it and use it in my Chicken Tortellini soup, which is a great dish for busy weeknights.
FAQ
There is no right or wrong temperature for cooking chicken. You can roast a bird at any temperature between 350-425 degrees f. At a lower temperature of about 350 degrees f, it will take about 20 -25 minutes per pound to cook a chicken. But if you are looking for crispy skin then you will want to cook at higher temperatures between 400 and 425 degrees f. This also means that the chicken will be done sooner and you will want to make sure that you don’t overcook it. At this temperature, you will need to rely on a meat thermometer to help you cook the perfect bird.
I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to check your chicken for doneness. When the internal temperature on the thermometer, inserted in the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees it is time to remove the chicken from the oven and tent it with foil. The chicken will continue to cook while it rests and after about 10-15 minutes the chicken will have reached about 175 degrees. At this temperature, you will have juicy chicken with crispy skin.
There is no need to cover chicken when roasting it. Cooking it uncovered will crisp the skin and turn it an appealing golden brown. If the skin starts to get too dark before the chicken is done, you may want to put a piece of foil over it to keep it from getting any darker.
More Dishes to serve with Roast chicken?
- The Best Cranberry Orange Chutney
- Sicilian Fennel and Orange Salad
- Simple Italian Scalloped Potatoes
- Must Try Authentic Banana Cream Pie
I love to get your feedback so if you tried this Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken or any other recipes on this website, please leave me a comment below. I hope you enjoy our recipes and look forward to hearing from you!
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Easy Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3½-4 lb Whole Chicken
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1½ tsp Salt Kosher
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper Ground
- 2 Lemons Quarterd
- 1 Onion Large, quartered
- 3 sprigs Rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° and prepare a roasting pan fitted with a rack.
- Remove the gizzards and packing from inside the chicken cavity. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken, then carefully lift the skin from the breast and back end of the chicken by sliding your hand between the skin and the breast. Rub a small amount of olive oil, salt and pepper under the skin.
- Rub the remaining olive oil all over the skin of the chicken. Salt and pepper the outside of the chicken liberally, including the bottom of the chicken. Stuff the cavity of the bird with the onion, lemon and rosemary sprigs.
- Place the chicken on the roasting rack and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast the chicken for 50-60 minutes depending on it's size. Check for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. The chicken is done when the thermometer registers 165°and the juices run clear.
- Remove the pan from the oven, tent it with foil and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes.
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Great flavor 😋