We had this chicken for dinner last night. It tasted really good. I used only one lemon but if you prefer a strong lemon taste then suit your palate and adjust the lemon. I also used dried rosemary and it worked just fine. I served it with some baked brown rice which I cooked side by side with the chicken. Canada is cold-what more can I say? We had some snow a few days ago. Please send me some sunshine and wish you a very pleasant week!
Mix all the ingredients for the rub and set aside.
Place chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up. Add the broth or wine and remaining lemon slices to the roasting pan.
Remove the chicken from the oven, baste with roasting juices and set aside, covered, for 15 minutes to rest. Carve and serve the chicken
Roast Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary
Preparation time: 20 minutes; Roasting time: 1.30-1.45 hours; Serves. 4
Ingredients for the rub
- Zest (rind) of two lemons
- 1½ teaspoons freshly ground pepper
- 1½ teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
Other ingredients
- 1.5kg (3.5 Ib) whole chicken, washed, inside and out, trimmed off fat and patted dry, inside and out
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon cut into 8 pieces
- ¼ cup broth (stock) or white wine
For the gravy
- 2-3 teaspoons cornstarch (cornflour) mixed with ½ cup water or broth
- ¼ cup white wine
- Roasting juices from the pan.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC) ten minutes before using. Mix all the ingredients for the rub and set aside.
- Sprinkle the inside of the chicken liberally with salt, ½ teaspoon rosemary and freshly ground pepper. Carefully lift the skin and rub half of the rub evenly under the skin. Place half the lemon slices in the chicken cavity. Close the cavity with a toothpick or small skewer. Truss the chicken.
- Drizzle or brush olive oil liberally over the whole chicken. Sprinkle the remaining rub evenly over the whole chicken. Place chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up. Add the broth or wine and remaining lemon slices to the roasting pan.
- Roast the chicken in the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken and baste with juices from the roasting pan. Continue roasting for another 30-45 minutes basting every 15 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oven, baste with roasting juices and set aside, covered, for 15 minutes to rest.
- To make Gravy: skim off the oil from the roasting pan and transfer the juices to a small sauce pan. Add the water-cornflour mixture and white wine. Bring to the boil and simmer 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Check seasoning. Serve in a gravy boat.
- Carve the chicken and serve.
Points to Note
- Tip from Jamie Oliver: you can tell the chicken is cooked when the thigh meat pulls easily away from the bone and the juices run clear.
- My chicken roasted perfectly in 1 hour 45 minutes. I switched off the oven in the last 10 minutes. Roasting time will depend on your oven and the type of roasting dish used.
- If you have an instant read thermometer then the safe internal minimum temperature for cooked chicken is 165°F (75°C).
- Last updated: 6 April 2017
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Terrific colour on the chicken.
Thank you
Liz
I made a rosemary and lemon chicken last week too! So easy and great flavors. Plus I have fresh rosemary year round in our garden.
Oh I wish i had a rosemary bush like you. I mostly use the dried ones…sigh!
Liz
Quite a tasty looking bird there. Lemon chicken is one of the stand-bys that everyone should learn how to cook. – Kat
I totally agree with you!
Liz
Chicken, yum! It’s very cold here and now snowing, but we had sunshine during the day. Still cold though!
It’s snowing right now! You know those small powdery flakes? I hate them. I love the big fluffy ones!
Liz
I forget there’s different kinds! Stay warm!
Oh yes am indoors. It’s been snowing continuously for some days now….sigh!
Liz
The roasted chicken looks so good! It is making my mouth water! Just the kind of meal to warm and scent the kitchen during this cold snap! We had snow as well and more expected but it should warm up a bit again by the weekend, at least we are hoping for that. The sun shines down grandly this morning even though it’s heat is non exestent this time of year in the north. I forgot to bring my hummingbird feeders in last night so they are currently thawing in the sink. We have overwintering Anna’s here and they must be very cold this morning. Take care Liz, I am going for this recipe as soon as I can get to the store for a roasting chicken! Have a great day!!!
I plan to make a different roast chicken every week for the next 54 weeks. You know I studied zoology but never cared to learn much about birds. I have just googled what overwintering Anna’s look like http://www.sitkanature.org/wordpress/2008/01/31/annas-hummingbird-calypte-anna/
They are so beautiful. Thanks for teaching me something new. I know so much about plants and so little about birds….ha have a great weekend
Liz
Hello Liz, how are you surviving winter out your way? Man we are snowed in here o the Pacific coast. Unusual for this time of year, yet here I mention snow and today it has warmed up to 7C and it’s now raining. I’ll take it tho! Hope you are all well!
We have had snow on and off. It finally melted this week. Sorry about being snowed in and being rained on. Strange weather this season but I sort of like it. It hasn’t been too stressful. Have a great weekend!
Liz
A classic recipe. I make one similar that is lemon and tarragon –a Julia Child recipe. So easy and always impresses guests!
I totally know what you mean. so good yet so simple!
liz