Roast Chicken
If you've got whole chicken, lemon and olive oil, you're most of the way to this chicken: about 65 minutes of cooking across 7 steps. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for oven and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (1)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: contains meat, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Dairy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page β how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Remove the chicken from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking, pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels and heat the oven to 200C.
- Halve the lemon and prick it all over, then push both halves, the smashed garlic cloves and the thyme sprigs into the cavity of the bird.
- Rub the skin all over with the olive oil and softened butter, then season generously with salt and black pepper, working some seasoning under the breast skin as well.
- Place the chicken breast-side up on a rack in a roasting tin and tie the legs together loosely with kitchen string to help it cook evenly.
- Roast for about 1 hour 20 minutes, basting once or twice with the pan juices, until the skin is deep golden and crisp.
- Check that it is done by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone; it should read at least 74C and the juices should run clear.
- Transfer the chicken to a board, cover loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes before carving so the juices redistribute, then serve with the pan juices spooned over.
You'll use: Oven Β· Pan
Ingredient substitutions
- Lemon
- lime Β· 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
- Butter
- olive oil (ΒΎ the amount) Β· coconut oil Β· margarine
Tips & common questions
How long does Roast Chicken take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of lemon?
Try lime. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe β rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Roast Chicken is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Max's Roasted Chicken - Evan Swigart.jpg by Evan Swigart from Chicago, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure β how we source recipes.