French · Free recipe
Lemon-Herb Whole Roast Chicken
A dry-brined bird with lemon, thyme, and garlic butter pushed right under the skin, roasted hot until the skin shatters and the pan juices turn golden. Halved lemons roast alongside and get squeezed over the carved meat, so every slice tastes bright instead of heavy.
- Prep
- 1 hr 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 15 min
- Total
- 2 hr 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Method
-
Season the chicken all over with the kosher salt and let it sit uncovered in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight if you have time, so the skin dries out.
-
Heat the oven to 425F and let the chicken stand at room temperature for 20 minutes while it heats.
-
Mash the butter with the lemon zest, minced garlic, thyme leaves, rosemary, parsley, and pepper until evenly speckled green.
-
Loosen the skin over the breasts and thighs with your fingers and push most of the herb butter underneath, then rub the rest over the outside.
-
Stuff the cavity with one halved lemon, the smashed garlic, and thyme sprigs, tie the legs, and set the bird on the onion rings in a roasting pan with the other lemon halves cut-side up.
-
Roast for 65 to 75 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh reads 165F and the juices run clear when you tilt the bird.
-
Rest the chicken on a board for 15 minutes, meanwhile set the pan over medium heat, add the broth, and scrape up the browned bits for a quick jus.
-
Carve, squeeze the roasted lemons over the meat, and spoon the pan jus on top.
Zest note from the test kitchen
Leave the salted chicken uncovered on a rack in the fridge overnight; the drier the skin going into the oven, the crisper it comes out.
