Lemon Rosemary Roast Chicken is infused with woodsy herb flavor, with every bite moist and juicy.
There is nothing easier to make than a roast chicken. Once you have the hang of it, you can change up the ingredients to suit your fancy or the seasons. This may look complicated, with the trussing and all, but it’s not hard. The chicken does all of the work…coming out all gorgeous and golden and smelling heavenly. I am getting hungry just thinking about it.
“With crisp, buttery skin and a hint of lemon, this main dish makes a beautiful presentation that is perfect for company or anytime.“
See the twine around the legs? That is my version of trussing when the bird is smallish. For a larger chicken, tie back the wings too, using a longer piece of twine wrapped around the wings and then the legs. Trussing helps the bird cook evenly, and in my experience, helps keep what I stuffed into the bird in place.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE LEMON ROSEMARY ROAST CHICKEN
- Whole Chicken
- Butter
- Rosemary
- Onion
- Lemons
WHAT KIND OF CHICKEN TO USE FOR ROASTING
Roasters, Broilers and Fryers are all used interchangeably when talking whole chickens. All are young chickens, and raised only for their meat. You should choose what to buy based on the size of the chicken you want and how many people you will be serving. Here’s the lowdown:
- Roasters – the chicken is less than 8 months old and weighs from 5 to 7 pounds. They have a thicker layer of fat, which helps to baste the bird as it roasts.
- Broilers and Fryers – the chicken is 6 – 8 weeks old and weighs from 2-1/2 to 4 pounds. The meat is young and tender, but their small size will feed only 3 – 4 people.
The lemon slices are not just for good looks…it helps everyone know that there is lemon is this bird. You can add more or less as you like, but I found that this amount of lemon added just a hint of lemon flavor. Nothing over the top. Same with the Rosemary. Serve some lemon slices on the side if your family likes more lemon flavor.
TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Glass Baking Dish – this one has a lid and easy-grab handles to make lifting easier!
- Kitchen Twine with Cutter – twine with a wooden holder and built in cutting blade. Looks great on the counter!
MORE FAMILY RECIPES TO LOVE
Lemon Rosemary Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 pound roasting chicken giblets removed
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1-1/2 tsps fresh rosemary divided, finely chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 medium lemons
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Wash and dry chicken. Let sit uncovered in the refrigerator 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, mix the butter with 1 tsp of Rosemary, blending well.
- Place chicken in a large roasting pan. Rub chicken all over with the butter mixture, making sure to get under the breast skin and inside the body cavity.
- Using a sharp knife, cut 1 lemon into quarters. Peel onion and quarter.
- Liberally salt and pepper the entire chicken and cavity. Sprinkle remaining rosemary into cavity. Stuff onion and lemon pieces into chicken cavity. Truss the chicken with twine.
- Cut the second lemon in half and cut three round slices from one half. Lay the three round lemon slices on top of the chicken, then use remaining lemon and squeeze the juice over the outside of the chicken.
- Bake for 60 to 90 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F .
- Remove and let chicken rest for 5-10 minutes. Remove the twine from the bird and the onions and lemon from the cavity. Place on a platter and serve.
Nutrition Facts
© Copyright Christine Mello for Must Love Home. We would love for you to share a link to this recipe but please do not copy/paste the recipe instructions to websites or social media. We are happy for you to share a photo with a link back to this website instead.
© Copyright Christine Mello for Must Love Home. We would love for you to share a link to this recipe but please do not copy/paste the recipe instructions to websites or social media. We are happy for you to share a photo with a link back to this website instead.
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I would appreciate the chance to troubleshoot any issues you might have had before you leave the rating!
