Oven Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary Recipe

Growing up, my family seemed to serve chicken at least twice a week. We always used whole chickens and either roasted them whole or cut them into pieces for frying. Back then, our recipes and ingredients were pretty basic. Our roasted chicken was usually seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic with garden vegetables thrown in to roast in the juices. Our fried chicken usually had a plain flour-dipped coating with salt and pepper. These days, my family still eats chicken a couple of times a week--but, I get a lot more creative with our ingredients! Today, I wanted to share our latest, favorite roasted chicken meal: my oven-roasted chicken with lemon and rosemary recipe. Ready for a new twist on your old favorite comfort food?

  
Ingredients for Oven Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary Recipe
One 6-7 lb. Roasting Chicken
Salt and Pepper
1 Lemon, cut into quarters

1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Butter, Melted
2 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme
1 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 tsp. Lemon Zest
1 c. Chicken Stock or Vegetable Broth or Stock

Instructions for Oven Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary Recipe

Prepare the Oven and Roasting Pan for Roasting.  Preheat the oven to 450°F.  I generally spray my roasting pan with cooking spray to make cleanup a little easier!

Mix the Lemon and Rosemary Herb Rub.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, the melted butter, the thyme leaves, the chopped rosemary leaves, the minced garlic, and the lemon zest.  Stir with a fork to combine.    Set aside.

Prepare the Roasting Chicken.  I use a whole chicken for this recipe.  You get so much more flavor from a roasting chicken with its mix of juicy dark and light meats, its fat and skin than you get from boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  I like to get a fresh chicken from our local grocer or from a local butcher shop Sarasota has to offer.   If your chicken isn't fresh, make sure that it is fully thawed before using it.  Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry.  Place the chicken breast side up in a shallow roasting pan.  Sprinkle salt and pepper into the cavities of the chicken and place the cut-up lemon inside the cavities.  Brush the lemon and rosemary mixture evenly over the chicken.  Pour the stock into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the Chicken.  Roast the chicken at 450°F for 20 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F for and continue to roast for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. I usually cover the chicken with aluminum foil or the roasting pan lid while it roasts for the hour and fifteen minutes to prevent over-browning. Additionally, I baste the chicken gently with the pan juices a couple of times during cooking.  Do make sure that your chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F to ensure that it is cooked through.

Serve the Oven Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary. I usually carve the roasted chicken and serve pieces with mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus--or oven-roasted winter vegetables and a green salad.

This recipe is straightforward to make--and loaded with fresh ingredients and flavor. It has definitely become a family favorite in our little corner of the world!