As I’m planning my meals for the week, I realize that my favorite go-to recipe is roast chicken with lemon and herbs. Why? For starters, it’s really good. Plus, it’s healthy, great as leftovers and the bones make great stock. As long as you follow a few key rules, it also turns out delicious every time.
I’ve roasted quite a few chickens over the years. Sometimes the chicken cooked perfectly which is awesome. But other times, it was either overcooked or undercooked and then became overcooked. Sigh. There’s nothing more disappointing than ruining a perfectly good chicken. I’ve tried many types of recipes and you know what I discovered? If you don’t execute it correctly, it doesn’t really matter what seasoning or sauce you add.
So thanks to hours of research and to Thomas Keller, I found an easy way to roast chicken. Here are 5 rules I follow for roasting chicken with consistently delicious results:
1) Bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking and dry it very well.
This ensures that the chicken will cook evenly.
2)Use a probe thermometer.
Keller doesn’t use a probe thermometer but I like to for accuracy. Probe thermometers tell you when your chicken is the magic internal temperature of 165° F (75° C) without having to open the door. If you cook a lot of meat, it’s one of the best investments you’ll make for your kitchen and it’s affordable. You can easily find a good one for around $20 or less.
3) Truss the bird.
This keeps everything compact and allows for even cooking. I realize I’m repeating myself but it’s important and makes a difference.
4) Cook the chicken at a high temperature, around 450° F.
This way, your chicken cooks faster without losing any of the delicious juices. A 3 1/2 lb chicken takes roughly 45 minutes. The temperature might seem too hot but it isn’t. Your smoke alarm might go off but your chicken won’t burn. (If you suspect your internal oven temperature is incorrect, then consider investing in an oven thermometer. When we moved to our house, we discovered our oven was off by 10 degrees. 10 degrees! That’s a lot! Now we adjust our oven setting to get the desired cooking temperature. Problem solved.)
5) Don’t open the oven until it’s done.
Again, it’s all about keeping the temperature even while cooking. It’s tempting, I know. That’s why I use #2. 🙂
Obviously, seasoning with salt and pepper is also very important but that’s pretty standard so that’s why that didn’t make it on my list. You can easily substitute different kinds of herbs like oregano or parsley but thyme and sage are my favorite. Also, I’m convinced everything tastes better with lemons but that’s just me.
When you’ve removed all the meat from the chicken, save the bones! They make fantastic homemade chicken stock or bone broth. You’ll be happy you did because the stock is way more flavorful and healthier than any store-bought brand. If you don’t have time to make it right away, wrap the bones in foil and freeze it to make later.
One of the best recipes to know how to master is roast chicken with lemon and herbs. It’s so simple to make yet incredibly satisfying to eat. When it’s cooked perfectly, you will want to savor every bite. Plus, with the right technique, you will make a delicious healthy dinner with plenty of leftovers including bones to make an excellent stock. It’s the meal that keeps on giving and stretches your wallet!
Roast Chicken with Lemon and Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, organic ($16.00)
- 1 Lemon cut in half ($0.00)
- Few sprigs fresh herbs (Thyme, sage, tarragon) ($0.00)
- 1 Tbsp salt ($0.02)
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter ($0.09)
- pepper ($0.01)
Instructions
- Prepare all your ingredients. Preheat oven to 450° F.
- Take chicken out of the fridge. Rinse and dry very well. Bring to room temperature on a plate, at least 30 minutes. Salt and pepper the inside of the cavity and stuff bird with lemon halves and herbs. Set aside a sprig of thyme to use for later.
- Truss bird with twine. Generously salt outside with chicken with about 1 Tbsp of kosher salt. Season with pepper to taste. Place the chicken in a cast iron pan (or roasting pan).
- Insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the leg and place pan in the middle of the oven.
- When probe reaches 165° F (75° C), about 45-50 minutes, take the pan out of the oven. Add butter and thyme to pan drippings and quickly baste chicken.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board and cover loosely with foil.
- Serve with lemon wedges (optional) and side dishes of your choice. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Pairs great with our Herb Salad * Note regarding pricing: The lemon and herbs used in this recipe are from our garden which is why there is no price listed. The price of the pantry items such as salt and butter takes into account the cost of the amount used for the recipe and not the cost if you had to purchase the entire jar or bottle. ** All prices in US dollars.