Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken (Printable)

Tender roasted chicken infused with lemon and herbs, served with perfectly golden baby potatoes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 1 whole chicken (approximately 4 pounds), giblets removed
02 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 lemons, 1 zested and juiced, 1 sliced
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
08 - 1½ teaspoons sea salt
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Vegetables

10 - 2 pounds baby potatoes, halved
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
13 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat chicken dry thoroughly with paper towels and position in a large roasting pan.
02 - Combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, parsley, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl, stirring until well blended.
03 - Rub marinade mixture thoroughly over entire chicken surface, working under the skin and into the cavity. Place lemon slices inside the cavity.
04 - Distribute halved baby potatoes around chicken in roasting pan. Drizzle potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Roast for 1 hour 10 to 15 minutes until chicken juices run clear and meat thermometer inserted into thickest thigh portion reads 165°F.
06 - If potatoes require additional browning, remove chicken from pan, increase oven temperature to broil setting, and roast potatoes for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown.
07 - Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve alongside roasted potatoes.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The chicken stays impossibly juicy while the skin turns crackling crisp, and the lemon keeps everything tasting bright instead of heavy.
  • Those baby potatoes soak up all the pan drippings and chicken fat, becoming little golden treasures you'll fight over.
  • It looks restaurant-quality impressive but feels completely approachable to pull together on a weeknight.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting period at the end, even when you're hungry and in a hurry; it's the difference between juicy meat and dry disappointment.
  • The lemon slices inside the cavity will actually flavor the chicken from the inside out, so don't treat them as optional decoration.
03 -
  • Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead of time for deeper flavor—the acid in the lemon actually starts breaking down the proteins and tenderizing the meat.
  • If you can't find baby potatoes, fingerlings or small Yukon Golds work beautifully and cook at about the same rate.
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