Roast Garlic and Lemon Chicken (Printable Version)

Juicy roasted chicken with aromatic garlic and zesty lemon featuring crispy skin and tender meat.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 whole chicken (about 3.3 lbs), giblets removed

→ Marinade

02 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
03 - 2 lemons (1 zested and juiced, 1 sliced into rounds)
04 - 3 tbsp olive oil
05 - 2 tsp salt
06 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
07 - 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
08 - 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 tsp dried rosemary)

→ Vegetables for roasting

09 - 2 large onions, quartered
10 - 3 carrots, cut into chunks
11 - 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat your oven to 425°F.
02 - In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary to make the marinade.
03 - Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and rub half of the marinade directly onto the meat under the skin. Rub the remaining marinade all over the outside of the chicken.
04 - Stuff the chicken cavity with the lemon slices and a few sprigs of extra thyme or rosemary, if desired.
05 - Arrange the onions, carrots, and celery in a large roasting pan. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables, breast side up.
06 - Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced, and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.
07 - Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with the roasted vegetables and pan juices.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The skin gets impossibly crispy while the meat stays ridiculously juicy
  • Under skin marinade technique changes everything about flavor distribution
  • Whole house smells like a cozy Mediterranean kitchen while it roasts
  • Leftovers (if you're lucky) make the best sandwiches and salads
02 -
  • Dry that chicken skin thoroughly with paper towels before marinating or it will steam instead of crisp
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly, so take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before roasting
  • The meat thermometer should go into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone for accurate reading
03 -
  • Leave the chicken uncovered in the fridge for an hour before roasting for extra crispy skin
  • Save the chicken carcass for homemade stock, it makes the most flavorful soup base
  • Make extra marinade and toss some vegetables in it before roasting on a separate sheet

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