There is nothing quite like a cozy + comforting roast chicken meal, y’all. Juicy, tender, and loaded with lemon garlic butter flavor. So delicious and incredibly easy to make on weeknights and weekends alike!

lemon garlic butter roast chicken in white skillet on table

One of the greatest joys in life, to me, is a good ole roast chicken. I don’t know anyone (except vegans, ha!) that doesn’t like roast chicken. It’s so simple and classic and pairs right along with nearly anything. Matter of fact, I think I grab a rotisserie chicken from Costco or Publix at least a few times a month. The only thing better is when it’s homemade because you already know that scratch-made is gold. And that’s just that on that.

Whenever I’m in the mood for some sort of roast chicken at home, this recipe is my go-to. It’s paired with some of my favorite elements, lemon and garlic, hell yes! Listen, I cannot get enough of garlic. I saw this meme the other day that said something like “garlic is to cooking as vanilla is to baking.” And y’all, I could not agree any more. And then there is my most favorite, lemon. Oof– lemon and garlic and chicken, let’s go!

green beans, mashed potatoes, and sliced roast chicken on white plate

A Word About Our Sponsors

DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by The Yummly Smart Thermometer who I’m so excited to partner with; all thoughts expressed here are my own. So grateful for brand ambassadorships like this one that I can share with you! I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and love this smart cooking tool so much.

The Yummly Smart Thermometer is great for skilled chefs, tech lovers, novice foodies, and busy home cooks. With this device, I feel confident in knowing that my meats are cooked to the exact and perfect temperature. In addition, the app-based support comes in clutch for when you’re multitasking (me, all the time!). When connected to my phone, I get updates as to the cooking status of my food in real time. And it is the perfect device to have on hand when roasting chicken so that you know exactly when your bird is ready.

Plus, you can get 10% off with promo code BUTTERBEREADY10! (Offer ends 12/31/2021, 11:59PM EST. See checkout for offer details at yummly.com/thermometer/buy). Such a quality cooking investment!

  • roast chicken in white skillet with meat thermometer on the side
  • black hand holding meat thermometer
  • black hand holding cell phone
  • meat thermometer in breast of roast chicken in white skillet

What You’ll Need For This Roast Chicken Recipe

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

  • whole fresh chicken (giblets/neck removed)
  • salt/pepper (super simple seasonings!)
  • butter and oil (helps keep the chicken juicy)
  • garlic (you can use garlic paste or minced garlic)
  • lemons (just two- both juiced and halved)
  • fresh rosemary (gives some nice herbaceous flavor)
  • onion (for stuffing inside the chicken cavity)
  • carrots (more aromatic inside the cavity)
  • head of garlic (amps up the garlic flavor even more!)

This roast chicken recipe is super simple and easy to make right at home with minimal ingredients yet big, bold flavor! A lot of folks find roasting a whole chicken at home to be intimidating and that is so not the case, peeps. I’ll tell you this, *if you can season meat and have an oven, then you can make this roast chicken*—ha!

How To Make A Roasted Chicken

(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete + full instructions.)

  1. Preheat the oven and prep your roasting vessel.
  2. Remove the giblets/neck from the chicken cavity.
  3. Use paper towels to pat dry the chicken.
  4. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper.
  5. Combine the butter, oil, garlic, lemon, and rosemary together.
  6. Take that mixture and rub it all over the chicken entirely.
  7. Stuff the chicken cavity with the onion, carrots, and head of garlic.
  8. Use kitchen twine to tie the legs together.
  9. Roast the chicken at 425° for 30 minutes.
  10. Reduce the heat and baste the chicken.
  11. Allow the roast chicken to continue cooking for another hour.
  12. Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest before slicing.
lemon garlic butter roast chicken in white skillet on table mat

Tips + Tricks For The Best Roast Chicken

PAT DRY THE CHICKEN: Before doing anything, you will need to pat dry the chicken with paper towels to make sure any residual moisture is gone. This ensures that your roast chicken will have super crispy skin!

SEASON THE HECK OUTTA THE BIRD: This isn’t the time to use a small pinch of seasonings, nah, this is the time to do the absolute most (well, slightly). Make sure that you generously salt and pepper the chicken very well all over, under, and inside the cavity. We want maximum flavor to penetrate the chicken!

GET UNDER THAT SKIN: Not only do you want flavor on the outside but also within. Use your hands to carefully lift the chicken skin and get under there too. This goes for the seasonings as well as the garlic butter mixture. Great chicken goes beyond the surface and all throughout!

BASTE, BASTE, BASTE: I’m all about the baste, ’bout that baste…yes indeed. Basting the chicken halfway through helps to lock in those glorious juices and helps to give the roast chicken that golden color we love.

LET IT REST: Just like us humans need to rest, so does the roast chicken. Once the chicken is done cooking, take it out and let it rest for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing into it- this is crucial. The resting process allows the chicken juices inside to settle and lock in its moisture.

What To Serve With This Roast Chicken

>> You’ll need some sides to pair along with that gorgeous roasted chicken, yes?! <<

roast chicken with lemons and vegetables in white skillet on table mat

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UNTIL NEXT TIME…LOVE AND BUTTER,

Q.

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lemon garlic butter roast chicken in white skillet on table

Lemon Garlic Butter Roast Chicken

  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 15m
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 30m
  • Total Time: 1 hr 45m
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

There is nothing quite like a comforting roast chicken meal. Juicy, tender, and loaded with lemon garlic butter flavor. So delicious and incredibly easy to make on weeknights and weekends alike!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 lb fresh whole chicken, giblets removed
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 1 tablespoon garlic paste or minced garlic
  • 2 lemons, juiced, halved, and divided 
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, stems removed
  • 1 medium-sized yellow onion, cut into quarters
  • 2 medium-sized carrots, chopped into quarters
  • 1 head of garlic, sliced in half crosswise

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil or you can lightly grease a roasting pan or oven safe cast-iron skillet (at least 10-inches). I also recommend having a fitted rack in place inside of your vessel of choice to ensure even crispiness on the under body of the chicken.
  2. Make sure that the inside cavity of the chicken is completely clean and giblets/neck have been removed. Use a paper towel to pat dry the chicken all over, discarding any excess skin/feathers.
  3. Place the chicken on top of the rack, breast side up, inside your baking vessel and season the chicken very liberally with salt and pepper all over the outside/underbody and inside. 
  4. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the melted butter, olive oil, garlic paste or minced garlic, the juice of 1 lemon, and rosemary together. Stir the mixture well to thoroughly combine. Use a pastry brush or your hands (with disposable gloves, if desired) to rub the mixture all over the chicken. Use your fingers to carefully go underneath the skin to get the mixture in there as well. 
  5. Stuff the chicken cavity with remaining lemon (halved), the onion, carrots, and head of garlic. Try and fit as many inside of the chicken as you can. Any remaining pieces can be arranged around the chicken. Use kitchen string/twine to tie the chicken legs together. 
  6. Place the chicken into the oven, uncovered, to roast for 30 minutes. 
  7. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Carefully pull the chicken out to baste with the remaining 1/4 cup of melted butter. Then place the chicken back into the oven to continue cooking for another hour or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
  8. Remove the chicken from the oven and baste again with pan juices. Allow the chicken to rest for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing into it and serving. This allows the juices to lock in for an ultra juicy roast chicken. Serve warm with pan juices and your favorite side dishes, or as desired.

Notes

  1. Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.

Keywords: roast chicken, chicken, lemon, garlic, holiday