Lemon Roasted Chicken 🍗

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You are in for a real treat if you love bright citrus flavors on your chicken! This Lemon Roasted Chicken is a delightful blend of bright and savory flavors. It is one of the most delicious and tender chicken dishes I have ever tried. Before roasting, I infused the chicken with lemon and rosemary so that the fresh, tangy, aromatic, and earthy flavors meld as it cooks. The butter keeps the chicken moist and juicy, and as a result, you get tender chicken. Ready for the mouthwatering flavors? Let's make the lemon butter roasted chicken together!

This recipe is: Low Carb, Keto, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo

Lemon_Roasted_Chicken_hero_image

Table of Contents

5 Reasons To Love This Lemon Roast Chicken Recipe

You may be tempted to eat the whole roasted lemon chicken by yourself because of this recipe's irresistible aromatic flavors. Other reasons why you will love this recipe are:

  1. Easy set-and-go recipe.
  2. Zero-carb dish.
  3. Great crowd-pleaser.
  4. Simple ingredients.
  5. Pairs well with various sides.

Is Lemon Roasted Chicken Low-carb?

Yes, lemon-roasted chicken made without added sugars or other high-carb ingredients fits the low-carb lifestyle. This recipe is zero-carb. While it features onions, which have a higher carb count, we will not eat them but only use them for aromatic purposes. So, this recipe is extremely low in the carb spectrum and perfectly suits any low-carb diet—enjoy!

Thinking, "Is Lemon Low Carb?" Head to my article and gain a comprehensive understanding of the carbs in lemons and their suitability for a low carb diet.

Lemon Roasted Chicken Ingredients

Get the following ingredients for this lemon-herb roasted chicken recipe:

  • 1 whole chicken, 3-4 pounds
  • 4 tablespoons clarified butter or ghee
  • 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 1 small onion, sliced into half-moons
  • 1 lemon, quartered
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Note: Remove any giblets or parts from the chicken's cavity. Check if they are in the plastic bag.

Ingredients Substitutions

Use these high-quality ingredient substitutions if you want to swap a certain thing:

  • Clarified butter: Use duck fat, rendered bacon fat, ghee, or olive oil
  • Onion: A white or yellow onion will do. You may also use shallots cut thickly.
  • Citrus: Use a lime or an orange in place of lemon for fragrant citrus flavors. Wash the skins thoroughly.

Additional Ingredients

Boost the bright, savory flavors of your lemon herb chicken with any of these optional ingredients:

  • Fresh herbs: Add fresh thyme sprigs, sage, or oregano. If you use lime as your citrus, add a bundle of fresh cilantro.
  • Dried herbs: When you remove the parchment paper and foil, sprinkle the whole roast chicken with herbs de Provence or premixed Italian seasoning. This will make a flavorful chicken.
  • Aromatics: Add fresh garlic with the onions on the pan's bottom or the chicken's cavity to make a lemon-roasted garlic chicken.

Note: The additional ingredients are optional, not part of the original recipe, and not part of the nutrition facts in the recipe card below. Use them only to enhance the roast chicken's flavors.

Cooking Tools

My easy lemon rosemary roasted chicken recipe only requires a few simple cooking tools:

How To Make Lemon Roasted Chicken: Complete Cooking Guide

Cooking Method

  • Roasting

Preparation Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Gather the tools and ingredients.
  3. Wash and slice the lemons.
  4. Peel and slice the onion.
  5. Coat the chicken in clarified butter, sprinkling liberally with salt and pepper.
  6. Place the lemon slices and rosemary sprigs into the chicken cavity.
  7. Spread the sliced onions on the bottom of the roasting pan.
  8. Tent with parchment and aluminum foil.

Cooking Instructions

  1. Place the chicken in the center preheated oven.
  2. Cook, covered, for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the aluminum foil and parchment paper.
  3. Continue cooking until the skin is crisp and brown, the juices are running clear, and an instant-read thermometer shows 165°F (73°C) at the meaty part of the thigh.
  4. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
  5. Carve and serve hot.
Step-by-step-cooking-instruction-of-making-Lemon-roasted-chicken

Step 1: Spread the sliced onions on the bottom of the roasting pan.

Step-by-step-cooking-instruction-of-making-Lemon-roasted-chicken

Step 2: Hold the whole chicken ready to be placed in the roasting pan.

Step-by-step-cooking-instruction-of-making-Lemon-roasted-chicken

Step 3: Place the lemon slices and rosemary sprigs into the chicken cavity.

Step-by-step-cooking-instruction-of-making-Lemon-roasted-chicken

Step 4: Continue adding lemon slices and rosemary sprigs into the chicken cavity.

Step-by-step-cooking-instruction-of-making-Lemon-roasted-chicken

Step 5: Coat the chicken in clarified butter, sprinkling liberally with salt and pepper.

Step 6: Place the seasoned chicken on top of the sliced onions in the roasting pan, ready to be covered and roasted.

💡 My Pro Tip

Ensure the chicken is trussed (wrapped up with twine). Otherwise, it will not cook evenly. Butchers and grocery stores truss chickens to make it more compact, which promotes even cooking. Without being tied up, the wings and legs spread out from the body of the chicken, which causes them to cook faster and dry out, while the breast meat is still undercooked.

Moreover, a trussed chicken will have a higher moisture content, resulting in a juicy bird. So, the tip here is to either buy a chicken trussed by the butcher or grocery store or ensure you wrap it in cooking twine before making this recipe.

⏲️ Time-Saving Tips

  • Buy a trussed chicken from the butcher or grocery store to shorten the overall chicken's cook time.
  • Prepare everything ahead of time: stuff the bird, place it in the roasting pan, and cook it when ready to eat.

What To Serve With Lemon Roasted Chicken?

The bright and savory flavors of lemon-roasted chicken pair well with various low-carb sides. Try these delicious options:

  • Spicy Roasted Broccolini: Pair the broccolini with the lemon roast chicken recipe for a satisfying low-carb meal. The baby broccoli adds a satisfying crunch with its delicious caramelized flavor and crispy edges.
  • Cauliflower Potato Salad: Cauliflower potato salad absorbs flavors well and has a light and fluffy texture, thus an ideal accompaniment to the juicy meat.
  • Grilled Shishito Peppers: The shishito peppers have a smoky flavor and tender texture that pairs well with the zesty lemon flavor of the chicken, creating a delicious and nutritious meal.
  • Creamy Coleslaw: Drizzle the coleslaw with a zesty vinaigretteto add brightness before serving it alongside the chicken. The slaw's crunch complements the savory flavors of the herbed lemon-roasted chicken.
  • Caprese Salad: The salad's vibrant and delicious Mediterranean flavors pair beautifully with the amazing flavors of the delicious lemon-roast chicken.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Storage

  • Store the leftover roast chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Save the delicious juices from the bottom of the pan to help with reheating.

Freezing

  • The roast chicken freezes well. I recommend keeping it in the freezer for about a month as it tends to develop freezer burn quite quickly. Defrost it in the refrigerator or a 250°F (121°C) oven.

Reheating

  • Oven: This is the best method for maintaining the chicken's crispy skin. Reheat at an oven temperature of 350°F (176°C) until heated through.
  • Stovetop: Reheat with some water or cooking juice in the pan, covered, over medium heat, until hot.
  • Microwave: This is the least preferable method as it makes the chicken dry. Reheat on medium heat if you must use the microwave.

Conclusion

Lemon Roasted Chicken is one of my household's favorite delicacies. I love this recipe for its simplicity. All it takes to create the beautiful, fresh, tangy, and aromatic flavors is a whole chicken, lemon, rosemary, and a bit of butter. You will breeze through the prep in 10 minutes, especially if you buy trussed chicken from the store. Although you will wait over an hour for the chicken to cook, the majestic flavor blend is worth it!

I hope you love the zesty flavors of this juicy roast chicken recipe as much as we do. Serve it with your favorite veggies or side dish. As always, I am interested in your feedback. Share your thoughts and pictures in the comments below or on my socials. You can find me on Facebook or Instagram.

FAQs

Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. It should read 165°F (73°C) at the meaty part of the thigh.

A whole free-range chicken will take 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours to cook fully. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness.

Yes, follow the same procedure, but make shallow cuts on the chicken skin before seasoning to allow the lemon and rosemary flavors to penetrate.

 

Lemon_Roasted_Chicken_featured_image

Lemon Roasted Chicken 🍗

You are in for a real treat if you love bright citrus flavors on your chicken! This Lemon Roasted Chicken is a delightful blend of bright and savory flavors. It is one of the most delicious and tender chicken dishes I have ever tried. Before roasting, I infused the chicken with lemon and rosemary so that the fresh, tangy, aromatic, and earthy flavors meld as it cooks. The butter keeps the chicken moist and juicy, and as a result, you get tender chicken. Ready for the mouthwatering flavors? Let's make the lemon butter roasted chicken together!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon butter roasted chicken, lemon herb chicken, Lemon Roasted Chicken, roasted lemon chicken, rosemary roasted chicken, whole roasted lemon chicken
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 561kcal
Author: Scott Groth

Ingredients

Lemon Roasted Chicken Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken 3-4 pounds
  • 4 tablespoons clarified butter
  • 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 1 small onion sliced into half-moons
  • 1 lemon quartered
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preparation Steps

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Gather the tools and ingredients.
  • Wash and slice the lemons.
  • Peel and slice the onion.
  • Coat the chicken in clarified butter, sprinkling liberally with salt and pepper.
  • Place the lemon slices and rosemary sprigs into the chicken cavity.
  • Spread the sliced onions on the bottom of the roasting pan.
  • Tent with parchment and aluminum foil.

Cooking Instructions

  • Place the chicken in the center preheated oven.
  • Cook, covered, for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the aluminum foil and parchment paper.
  • Continue cooking until the skin is crisp and brown, the juices are running clear, and an instant-read thermometer shows 165°F (73°C) at the meaty part of the thigh.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
  • Carve and serve hot.

Notes

NOTE: The overall net carb count does not include the Substitute and Additional  Ingredients.
If you enjoy this Lemon Roasted Chicken recipe, I'd love to hear from you! Any tips on making it even lower in carbs? Please leave a comment below!
Have a wonderful time cooking!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Lemon Roasted Chicken 🍗
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 561 Calories from Fat 396
% Daily Value*
Fat 44g68%
Saturated Fat 18g90%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 7g
Monounsaturated Fat 16g
Cholesterol 181mg60%
Sodium 426mg18%
Potassium 444mg13%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 36g72%
Vitamin A 296IU6%
Vitamin C 20mg24%
Calcium 37mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

“This website provides approximate nutrition data and information for convenience and as a courtesy only.”

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2 Responses

  1. 5 stars
    The citrus and rosemary blend is just perfect. Super juicy and full of flavor. This is gonna be a regular in my kitchen for sure!

    1. Hi Maria:
      The lemon roasted chicken is one of my favorites too... and it is just so simple to make. If you have any other recipes you would like to see on the blog, please let me know. Thanks! Scott

5 from 1 vote

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Scott Groth image for I'd Rather Be A Chef

I'm Scott, just a regular guy who has experienced amazing benefits from embracing a low carb (occasionally keto) lifestyle. Join me as I share low carb recipes that are family friendly, delicious and fun to eat.

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