Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken (Printable)

Aromatic roasted chicken with fresh lemon and herbs, served alongside golden baby potatoes for a flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 1 whole chicken (approximately 4 pounds), giblets removed
02 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 lemons, 1 zested and juiced, 1 sliced
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
08 - 1½ teaspoons sea salt
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Vegetables

10 - 2 pounds baby potatoes, halved
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
13 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and place in large roasting pan.
02 - In small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, parsley, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
03 - Rub marinade mixture thoroughly over chicken, working under skin and inside cavity. Place lemon slices inside cavity.
04 - Arrange halved baby potatoes around chicken in roasting pan. Drizzle potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, and toss gently to coat.
05 - Roast for 1 hour 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear and meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 165°F.
06 - If potatoes require additional browning, remove chicken, increase oven temperature to broil, and roast potatoes for 5 to 7 minutes until golden.
07 - Rest chicken for 10 minutes before carving. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve chicken with roasted potatoes.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken stays incredibly juicy while the skin turns golden and crackling, because the herb marinade does all the work while you relax.
  • Baby potatoes roast right alongside in all those pan drippings, absorbing lemon and garlic flavor without any extra fuss.
  • It looks restaurant-worthy on the table but requires almost no special technique—just patience and a good thermometer.
02 -
  • Don't skip resting the chicken after it comes out of the oven—those 10 minutes make the meat stay moist instead of running all over your cutting board.
  • A meat thermometer is worth its weight in gold because oven temperatures vary wildly, and guessing leads to either dry chicken or undercooked chicken, neither of which anyone wants.
03 -
  • If your oven runs hot, start checking for doneness at the 1 hour mark rather than waiting for the full 1 hour 15 minutes.
  • Save those pan drippings after pouring off excess fat—they make an incredible sauce or gravy, or you can simply spoon them over the carved chicken and potatoes.
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