Lemon Roast Chicken

How to make the most good and juicy Lemon Roast Chicken. Our roast chicken has a subtle, fragrant lemon flavour throughout the meat and a beautiful lemony zing in the gravy too. We'll show you all the tips and tricks to make the solid roast chicken and guide you through making an good tasting gravy too.

This is how we make our simple yet undeniably good lemon roast chicken. It's something we've been making for years and years, and the recipe never changes. It also includes the most good and wholesome gravy to serve with it.

There's no secret to a flavourful and extra juicy roast chicken, but there are a few key tips to bear in mind (quality, seasoning and resting).

It may seem like we rest our roast chicken for a long time, but believe us, it's a crucial step for both flavour and keeping those juices locked into the meat, so do not skip this step!

See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step by step photos, tips, variations and a video tutorial. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom or click the recipe link below.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Whole chicken – We highly recommend buying a free-range and organic chicken if you can not only for the ethical point but for the flavour and quality. We know it can be expensive but we're a firm believer in quality over quantity. It's a splurge but you can easily get 2-3 meals from a whole chicken (see more below) and it's not something we buy every week. That being said, we totally understand that it's not always possible so buy what you're comfortable with.
• Lemon – use a good quality, unwaxed lemon. It's used to flavour the inside of the chicken and also the gravy afterwards.
• Herbs – dried oregano and fresh rosemary to flavour the chicken skin. You can choose to use fresh thyme or even tarragon instead.
• Vegetables – carrot, onion and garlic (these are used to both flavour the meat and the gravy). We leave the skin of the onions on (once cleaned) which gives the gravy a richer colour but you can choose to peel them first if you prefer.
• Chicken Stock (optional) – this is for making the gravy which is optional but good and we highly recommend following the extra step. Use homemade or a good quality, low sodium chicken stock.
• White wine (optional) – again, this is to add flavour to the gravy. We like to use a dry Italian white.

Step by step photos and instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 180C (350F).

Season the inside of the chicken with salt and stuff the cavity with 1 whole lemon cut in half and quarter of an onion and 1 sprig of rosemary (photos 1 and 2).

Sit the chicken in your roasting tray and season all over the outside of the chicken with salt. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the dried oregano and finely chopped rosemary. Rub the herbs and salt all over the chicken including the bottom (photo 3).

Add the rest of the onion and carrot around the chicken in the tray with 4 cloves of garlic. Roast the chicken uncovered for 1 hour and 45 minutes (for 2.2kg/4.8 lbs) (photos 4 and 5).

Remove the chicken from the oven, cover it with foil and rest it for 45 minutes to 1 hour (this part is essential for a juicy, flavourful chicken).

To make the optional gravy

Put the roasting tray with cooked veg on the stove on a medium heat and add the wine. Let the wine reduce by half then add the chicken stock (photos 6-8).

Let the stock simmer for 30 minutes until reduced. Sieve the gravy into a jug or bowl (we like to use a gravy jug to skim off excess fat – see photo 9). Press the roasted veg with a potato masher or fork to squeeze out any extra juices.

Transfer the sieved gravy to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Mix the water with the corn starch and add it to the gravy (photos 10 and 11).

Simmer for around 10 minutes until thickened, stirring or whisking occasionally. We don't usually need to add any additional salt to our gravy but you can taste it at this point and choose to add more if you like. Serve with your roast chicken (photo 12).

Important tips for a solid roast chicken

• Quality – We are a firm believer in using high-quality ingredients (and that doesn't always mean the most expensive). The quality of the chicken makes a difference in overall flavour so we highly recommend using a free-range chicken that's also organic. We understand that it's not always possible so buy the best chicken you can.
• Seasoning – we use Maldon sea salt flakes to season our chicken. We recommend using the salt you're used to so you have more control with the salt. season both the inside and outside of the chicken.
• Resting – We can't stress enough how important the resting of the chicken is after roasting. 45 minutes minimum but up to 1 hour is the solid time for a roast chicken of this size (2.2kg/5lbs). If you do not rest the chicken for long enough or at all it'll end up tough and dry as the meat is tense straight after cooking and you'll lose all of the good juices. Trust us on this one.
• Checking the chicken is done – if you are unsure if your chicken is cooked through you can use a meat thermometer to make sure it registers 75C (165F) for at least 2 minutes. You can also make a small incision in the thigh meat to make sure the juices run clear.

Recipe FAQs

What internal temperature should a cooked roast chicken be?

The safe internal temperature of a cooked whole roast chicken is 75C or 165F.

How long does it last?

Cooked roast chicken will keep well for up to 4 days covered in the fridge.

Can we freeze leftover chicken?

Yes, leftover cooked chicken can be frozen in suitable freezer bags or containers. Defrost the chicken completely before using or reheating.

Recipe Tip

There are so many things you can do with a leftover roast chicken from making stock, soups and salads. See our list below for ideas.

1. Make stock – one thing you can do with every roast chicken is make homemade stock (this can be done the next day). Homemade stock is full of nutrition and good flavour and can be frozen for months until you need it. You can follow the instructions in our Pastina Soup recipe for how to make homemade stock.
2. Make soup – Use your homemade stock to make any soup such as our Italian Potato and Zucchini Soup or Pastina Soup (chicken noodle). You can add strips of leftover roast chicken to any soup you make too like out Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.
3. Risotto – use your stock to make risotto, it's cosy, comforting and good. See our risotto recipe category for ideas.
4. Salads and sandwiches – Use leftover chicken to add to salads or sandwiches. The combinations and variations are endless.

Serve it with

See some good side options below. We also love to serve this with a simple arugula salad.

Sides

Grilled Fennel with Lemon Zest

Sides

Peas and Pancetta – 20 Minute Side Dish

Sides

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli

Sides

Classic Gnocchi alla Romana

This post was first published on 11th Sept 2018 but has since been updated with a new recipe, photos and tips.

Ingredients

Makes 4 - 6 servings (2.2kg/5lb)

• 5 lb whole chicken (2.2kg (organic, free range if possible))
• 1 lemon (unwaxed)
• 2 onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• ½ tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 carrot
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Optional gravy

• ¼ cup white wine ((60ml))
• 1 litre chicken stock ((1 litre))
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 1 teaspoon water
• Salt and pepper (we used maldon sea salt flakes)

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C (350F).

2. Season the inside of the chicken with salt and stuff the cavity with 1 whole lemon cut in half and quarter of an onion and 1 sprig of rosemary.

3. Sit the chicken in your roasting tray and season all over the outside of the chicken with salt. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the dried oregano and finely chopped rosemary. Rub the herbs and salt all over the chicken including the bottom.

4. Add the rest of the onion and carrot around the chicken in the tray with 4 cloves of garlic. Roast the chicken uncovered for 1 hour and 45 minutes (for 2.2kg/4.8 lbs).

5. Remove the chicken from the oven, cover it with foil and rest it for 45 minutes to 1 hour (this part if essential for a juicy, flavourful chicken).

To make the optional gravy

1. Put the roasting tray with cooked veg on the stove on a medium heat and add the wine. Let the wine reduce by half then add the chicken stock.

2. Let the stock simmer for 30 minutes until reduced. Sieve the gravy into a jug or bowl (we like to use a gravy jug to skim off excess fat). Press the roasted veg with a potato masher or fork to squeeze out any extra juices.

3. Transfer the sieved gravy to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Mix the water with the corn starch and add it to the gravy. Simmer for around 10 minutes until thickened, stirring or whisking occasionally. We don't usually need to add any additional salt to our gravy but you can taste it at this point and choose to add more if you like.

4. Serve with your roast chicken.

Kitchen notes

1. 1. Resting We can't stress enough how important the resting of the chicken is after roasting. 45 minutes minimum but up to 1 hour is the solid time for a roast chicken of this size (2.2kg/5lbs). If you do not rest the chicken for long enough or at all it'll end up tough and dry as the meat is tense straight after cooking and you'll lose all of the good juices. Trust us on this one.
   2. Checking the chicken is done if you are unsure if your chicken is cooked through you can use a meat thermometer to make sure it registers 75C (165F) for at least 2 minutes. You can also make a small incision in the thigh meat to make sure the juices run clear
   3. Storage and freezing leftover chicken will keep well covered in the fridge for up to 4 days or can be frozen in suitable freezer bags/containers for up to 3 months.
   4. Cook time for weight 1.5kg (3.3 lbs) chicken cook time 1 hour 30 minutes. 2kg-2.2kg (4.4-5lb) chicken cook time 1 hour 45 minutes.