Name: Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Thyme Butter
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 110 min
Ingredients: Whole roaster chicken 5-7 pounds; 1/2 yellow onion; 1 lemon cut in half; 3 sprigs fresh lemon thyme (regular is fine if you don't have lemon thyme); 3 tablespoons softened butter; 1 large garlic clove minced; kosher salt; freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 cup white wine; 1 1/2 cups chicken broth; 1 tablespoon flour

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This elegant, yet simple, roasted chicken recipe combines the bright flavors of lemon with the savory notes of thyme and garlic.

Years ago, I watched a cooking show where the chef spread a softened butter mixture under the skin of the chicken before roasting it. I had no idea you could even do that. My only experience at that point was to rub the outside with olive oil or melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper (which by the way is still a really easy way to make a tasty roast chicken), but it does not deliver a roasted chicken with the juicy flavor like this recipe!

After experimenting with different combinations of herbs and seasonings, I find this recipe to be my favorite. Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Thyme Butter is the go to for roasting a whole chicken in our house. Everyone always loves it!

You can prepare this as an elegant meal fit for company or Sunday dinner; serve with mashed potatoes and white wine gravy and sautéed green beans with shallots. Chef’s kiss!

However, it’s simple enough to put on weekly rotation and use the leftovers for casseroles or soups like my Classic Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup recipe!

Thyme is one of my favorite herbs to grow in the kitchen garden. It’s perennial, easy to grow and available year-round. If you haven’t tried it, lemon thyme is a delicious variety perfect for this dish. However, regular thyme works beautifully as well.

When cooking your chicken, I suggest using a heavy duty roasting pan with a rack like this one from Hestan. There are more budget friendly ones on the market, but I like the weight and durability of this one. The quality of this pan ensures even roasting. It goes from the oven to the stove top for making gravy easily without any wobbling or flimsiness.

You can also use a cast iron enamel roaster like this one from Le Creuset. Again, the price point is on the higher side, but the ability to use this dish in the oven and on the stove top (or even the grill!) is worth it if you can afford it.

A heavy duty roasting pan is essential for the high roasting temperature we will use in the beginning. Preheat your oven to 425°F and make sure you have enough clearance on the middle rack to situate your dish.

The next couple of steps are little messy; feel free to wear culinary grade rubber gloves for preparing the herb butter and the chicken, if you wish!

Begin by mixing the softened butter with the fresh thyme and minced garlic. I use a fork to mash it all together. Set this aside and then prepare your roaster chicken.

I find that a 6-7 pound chicken is sufficient for a family of 5 and even leaves some leftovers. Remove the giblets and pat the chicken dry. Position it on the rack in the roasting pan, breast side up. Now carefully use your fingers to lift up the skin covering the breast area. You will feel it’s connected to the meat with a layer of clear filmy tissue; separate this from the meat gently.

*Ginger Tip: You do not want to completely remove the skin! Just make a “pocket” for the herb butter.

Spoon the garlic-herb butter into this pocket and smoosh around by pressing on the outer skin of the chicken.

Rub any remaining herb butter over the skin and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

The lemon is what really brightens the flavor of this chicken and complements the fresh thyme perfectly. Cut a lemon in two. Squeeze the juice from one half into the cavity and then place the other unsqueezed half inside with half of a yellow onion. Your chicken cavity should have lemon juice, a lemon half and an onion half inside it for roasting.

Truss the legs of the chicken together if you like. I’ve roasted it both ways- tied and untied-it always tastes great either way! I didn’t have my roasting pan with the rack when I prepared this so I used a whole carrot sliced in half lengthways. See it peeking under there? It acted as a flavorful alternative.

Roast chicken at 425°F for 15 minutes at which point you will turn it down to 375°F. Finish cooking until the temperature in the thigh is 165°F. That’s about 20 minutes per pound of bird. If your chicken is 6 pounds, cook for 2 hours, but check that internal temp as it goes! I love the chickens with the pop up timers!

Once your chicken is fully cooked, let it rest on a carving board. I always use turkey lifting forks like these All-Clad ones because they are sturdy enough to hold the entire hot chicken and carefully tip so the juices run out into the pan before setting it on the carving board. I also recommend a carving board with drain grooves like this one to prevent any remaining juices from spilling onto the counter.

While the chicken is resting, make the white wine gravy. This is one reason why you want a heavy duty roasting pan-so it can go on the stove top burner! Remove the rack and set aside on a heat proof surface.

Mix together the cool chicken broth and flour until completely blended and set aside. Heat the drippings until bubbly and then pour in the white wine. Scrape the golden yummy bits off the bottom while you stir for a couple of minutes. Then add the chicken broth and flour mixture- you might need to give it another whisk before adding if it looks separated. Whisk everything together in the roasting pan until you have nice slightly thickened sauce. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Slice your roasted chicken and serve with the white wine sauce. Enjoy! This is a delicious and tender roasted chicken that the whole family will love!

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