Serves 12
95 min
Simple Roast Chicken
Recipe GLPRb3b39f2b14f3c4
A classic whole roast chicken with aromatic garlic, bay leaves, and bright lemon flavoring. The bird is started at high heat to develop color, then finished at a gentler temperature until the juices run clear. Perfect for a family meal, with crispy skin and tender, juicy meat.
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Ingredients
1 whole chicken, 4 to 4.5 pounds
2 garlic cloves, crushed or bashed
2 bay leaves
3.5 ounces butter, softened
1 lemon, halved
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the chicken in a large roasting pan.
Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the crushed garlic cloves and bay leaves.
Rub the softened butter all over the outside of the chicken, covering the breast, legs, and thighs. Squeeze the lemon juice over the buttered chicken and place the lemon halves inside the cavity.
Season the chicken generously inside and out with salt and black pepper.
Roast the chicken at 425°F for 20 minutes until the skin begins to brown.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue roasting for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F. You can also check doneness by piercing the thickest part of the thigh with a knife—the juices should run clear with no pink.
Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring moist, tender results.
