Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
Prepare the Chicken: Remove the giblets from the chicken cavity. Pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels. This helps the skin to crisp up.
Lemon Garlic Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, zest of one lemon, about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Season the Chicken: Rub the lemon garlic mixture all over the chicken, including under the skin of the breast. This ensures maximum flavor.
Stuff the Cavity: Stuff the chicken cavity with the quartered onion, a halved lemon, and the fresh herb sprigs.
Prepare the Roasting Pan: Place the optional carrots and celery in the bottom of a roasting pan. This will create a flavorful base for the chicken to roast on.
Position the Chicken: Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan.
Add Lemon Juice: Squeeze the juice of the remaining lemon(s) over the chicken.
Roast the Chicken: Roast the chicken for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F (74°C).
Basting: Baste the chicken with the pan juices every 20-30 minutes during roasting. This helps to keep the chicken moist and promotes even browning.
Resting Period: Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful chicken.
Carving and Serving: Carve the chicken and serve it with the roasted vegetables from the pan and any desired side dishes.
Notes
Craft the perfect Lemon Garlic Roast Chicken, a dish that’s both impressive and surprisingly simple to make. Follow our step-by-step guide, from ingredient selection to achieving a perfectly golden-brown and juicy bird. Includes ingredient details, instructions, recipe card, nutrition facts and FAQs.
