Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken (Printable)
Succulent chicken infused with lemon and garlic, served with crispy golden potatoes for a satisfying meal.
# What goes in:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 whole chicken (approximately 3.3 lbs), patted dry
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 lemon, halved
04 - 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
05 - 1 tsp salt
06 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1 tsp dried thyme
09 - 1 tsp paprika
→ Potatoes
10 - 1.75 lbs baby potatoes, halved
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 1 tsp salt
13 - ½ tsp black pepper
14 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
→ Garnish
15 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
16 - Lemon wedges (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Combine olive oil, salt, pepper, dried oregano, thyme, and paprika in a small mixing bowl.
03 - Rub the chicken inside and out with the spice mixture, then stuff the cavity with lemon halves and smashed garlic cloves.
04 - Place the chicken in the center of a large roasting pan.
05 - Toss baby potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried rosemary, then arrange them around the chicken in the pan.
06 - Roast for 1 hour and 10 minutes, basting the chicken with pan juices halfway through, until the skin is golden and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F.
07 - Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.
08 - Serve carved chicken pieces with roasted potatoes, garnished with fresh parsley and lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- One pan, one hour, and dinner is done without the fuss of managing multiple pots.
- The chicken stays so juicy you won't believe it, and the potatoes soak up every drop of flavor.
- Feels like you spent hours cooking when it's actually simple enough for a weeknight.
02 -
- Don't skip the drying step—I learned this the hard way by getting steamed skin instead of crispy, and it changed everything once I started patting it dry.
- Baste halfway through roasting because it's the difference between an okay chicken and one that keeps you thinking about it for days.
03 -
- Spreading potatoes in a truly single layer matters more than you'd think—crowded potatoes steam instead of roast, and you'll miss the crispy edges.
- If your oven runs hot, start checking the chicken at 55 minutes rather than waiting the full hour, since thermometers don't lie but ovens all have opinions.