Name: Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken (Beginner-Friendly Recipe!)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 4-5 pound whole chicken; Salt and pepper; 2 to 3 springs of fresh rosemary; 3 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil; 1 lemon (halved); 1 head of garlic (top trimmed off); 1 large onion (sliced); 4 to 16 carrots (peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks); 1 bulb of fennel (tops removed and cut into wedges); Olive oil

Recipe

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With this simple Roasted Chicken Recipe, you can bake deliciously juicy lemon herb chicken with vegetables.

I’ll share with you my easy step-by-step recipe with all my cooking tips so you can make an epic lemon herb roasted whole chicken with no fuss.

lemon herb roasted chicken in a white plate with carrots and onions

Roasted Whole Chicken with Lemon and Herb

This Roasted Chicken Recipe is perfect for beginners and comes out perfectly every time. I’ve been roasting chickens in the oven for years and finally decided to write about the process and film a video for you.

This lemon herb roasted chicken will rock your family chicken dinners. The juicy, tender meat, the delicious rosemary flavor coming from the kitchen, caramelized vegetables on the side that you can cook in the same baking dish… Drooling alert!

Seasoning a Roasted Chicken

An epic chicken is a well-seasoned chicken, so grab your chicken and season with salt and pepper the outside skin, under the skin, and inside the cavity. Then, you brush it with butter or oil on the outside and stuff it with rosemary, lemon, and garlic. It will turn out super flavorful!

How to Roast a Whole Chicken

Here are the steps to roast a whole chicken with lemon and herbs and a helpful video recipe below:

Preheat the oven with the top rack in the middle position.
Prep the chicken by removing any gizzards, excess fat, or skin. Pat dry with a paper towel so the seasonings stick easily to the meat.
Season the chicken inside and outside with salt and pepper. Then, brush the outside with oil or butter. Now fill the cavity with rosemary, lemon, and garlic.
Add the seasoned vegetables to the baking sheet if you’re including them.
Roast the chicken for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. After 50 minutes, if your chicken is getting too browned, cover with foil until cooked.
Let it rest for a few minutes before cutting to lock in the juices.

https://youtu.be/qurrj3KtqHU

Keeping it Juicy

Want juicy roasted chicken? Of course! Then, bake the chicken with the skin on to lock in the moisture (bonus: less work for you!). Brushing the chicken with oil or butter before cooking is also helpful for tasty and juicy meat. After removing the bird from the oven, let it sit for a few minutes; this also helps lock the juices inside.

How Long to Roast a Chicken

Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken. A 4-5 pound chicken roasted at 425F takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to roast fully. After one hour in the oven, check doneness with a meat thermometer in the thickest parts.

How to Know When Roasted Chicken is Done

The best way to know if chicken is done is by checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken. When the white meat reaches 165F and the dark meat reaches 175F, you’ll know is fully cooked and safe to eat.

top view of a lemon herb roasted chicken in a white plate with carrots and onions

What to Serve with Roasted Chicken

If you make this roasted chicken with a bed of vegetables, a great way to build a balanced meal is by adding rice or mashed potatoes on the side. Other terrific sides to serve with chicken are pan-seared green beans, stovetop mac and cheese, or this fresh carrot raisin salad.

Storing Leftovers

Roasted chicken leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days, according to USDA guidelines. I usually keep chicken leftovers in the fridge for 3 days and, if I’m not going to use them the next day, I freeze the meat in a freezer-safe zip bag or container. Frozen cooked chicken lasts up to 4 months.

Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken (Beginner-Friendly Recipe!)

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1 15

Total Time: 1 30

With this simple Roasted Chicken Recipe, you can bake deliciously juicy lemon herb chicken with vegetables.

5 from 498 votes

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Ingredients

4-5 pound whole chicken
Salt and pepper
2 to 3 springs of fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
1 lemon, halved
1 head of garlic, top trimmed off

Vegetable bed (optional)

1 large onion, sliced
4 to 16 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 bulb of fennel, tops removed and cut into wedges
Olive oil

Instructions

Prep:

Preheat the oven to 425F (220C) with the top oven rack in the middle of the oven.
Remove any gizzards and the neck from the cavity of the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a plastic (washable) cutting board, pat it dry with a paper towel, and remove any excess fat or skin from the chicken -this last step is optional and it depends on the chicken, but do not trim too much to expose meat from underneath.

Season the chicken:

Generously season with salt and pepper the outside skin and the cavity of the chicken. With a basting brush or your hands, brush the outside of the chicken with melted butter or olive oil and distribute it all around the skin.
Stuff the chicken with rosemary, halved lemon, and roughly cut garlic head. Place the chicken inside a 9×13 baking dish (with sides)

Add the vegetables:

Chop your vegetables over a clean surface. Place them into a large bowl, and season with olive oil. Toss to coat and transfer the veggies to the baking dish and distribute them around the chicken.

Roast:

Roast the chicken for 1 hour and 15 minutes (a little more for larger chickens, a little less for smaller), checking for doneness around the breast at 165F (75C) and 175F (80C) around the thigh. After 50 minutes, if the chicken is getting too browned, cover with foil for the remaining cooking time.
Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes on a platter or cutting board. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a serving platter and serve.