Lemon Garlic Roast Chicken Recipe

roast chicken with garlic and lemon on plate

4.77 from 21 votes

My lemon and garlic roasted chicken is the simplest dish for any holiday or Sunday dinner! I cook a whole chicken in cast iron with bright lemon and heads of garlic, and it comes out of the oven perfectly crispy and flavorful. There's almost nothing to this recipe, but it looks so darn impressive!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 268kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet or baking dish

Ingredients

4 pound whole chicken *
3 teaspoons kosher salt
ground black pepper to taste
1 lemon halved
1 head garlic halved
¼ cup olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a cast-iron or oven-safe skillet into the oven on the middle rack to preheat.
Place the whole chicken on a cutting board, remove the giblets, and pat dry with paper towels.
4 pound whole chicken
Season the entire chicken (inside and out) with salt, then sprinkle with pepper to taste.
3 teaspoons kosher salt, ground black pepper
Carefully place the chicken into the pre-heated skillet. Add lemon and garlic halves to the skillet, tucked next to the chicken.
1 lemon, 1 head garlic
Pour the olive oil over the chicken and transfer the pan back to the oven.
¼ cup olive oil
Roast the chicken for 50 minutes, then start checking for doneness. Cut into the leg joint and look at the color of the juices--when done, the juices will be clear. If the juices are still pink, return to the oven for 5-10 minutes before checking again.
Let the roasted chicken rest in the skillet for 15 minutes before carving.

Video

Notes

*If using a larger or smaller chicken, use the guide of roasting 15 minutes per pound.

Becky's Top Tips:

Let the chicken come to room temperature for about 30-45 minutes to take the chill off for more even cooking.
To get crispy skin, make sure to thoroughly pat the skin dry with paper towels!
For even more lemon flavor, zest the lemons first, and mix the zest into your seasonings.
Slide your fingers under the breast and thigh skin and rub a little salt and olive oil underneath before roasting. This deeply seasons the meat and keeps it juicy.
For a neater presentation and more even cooking, you can tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
There’s no need to peel the garlic. In fact, keeping the garlic cloves still in the skin is the best way to get soft, aromatic roasted garlic.
Optionally stuff a few cloves of garlic and lemon pieces inside the chicken to perfume it from the inside out.
Instant read meat thermometer should read 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes loosely covered with foil after roasting to allow the juices to redistribute.
After removing the chicken, pour off excess fat, then deglaze the skillet with a splash of chicken broth, wine, or lemon juice to create a quick, flavorful sauce.
Serve with roasted potatoes, a crisp salad, or warm bread to soak up those garlicky pan juices.
Shred leftovers for soups, casseroles, or chicken salad.
Squeeze out the softened garlic cloves and mix them into mashed potatoes or spread onto bread.

Storage: Store carved lemon roasted chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition