Whole Roasted Chicken With Lemon And Rosemary

Whole Roasted Chicken

We love roasted chicken in my home, which is probably why I have so many chicken recipes on my blog! The smell of this chicken roasting in the oven is enough to fall in love! Roasting a whole chicken is pretty simple to do, as long as you have a thermometer you can’t go wrong. The combination of rosemary and lemon is wonderful with chicken! Serve this with roasted vegetables or baked sweet potato on the side and use the leftover chicken bones to make a wonderful stock. If you have an air fryer, you might love this Air Fryer Whole Chicken.

A few times a month I roast a whole chicken or two, sometimes in the oven, sometimes in my slow cooker (I shared the slow cooker recipe in my latest cookbook, Skinnytaste One and Done). It’s a dish I know everyone will love and leftovers are always great for chicken salad or sandwiches.

How To Roast a Whole Chicken

Trussing the bird first, before roasting, helps to ensure that the chicken cooks evenly, and that its breast meat remains moist and not dried out. Of course, it’s totally optional and you can skip that step if you want to save time. Then add your seasonings: salt, dried herbs, fresh citrus juice, the possibilities are endless here. Season it the night before for more flavor, uncovered in the refrigerator. Roast the chicken 425F until the internal temp is 160 to 165F, then let it rest 10 minutes before carving.

Leftover Chicken Recipes

Roast two chickens instead of one and use the second chicken for lunches during the week. You can add them to salads, enchiladas, or any recipe that required shedded chicken. Here’s some ideas for leftover chicken:

Chicken Waldorf Salad Chicken Salad with Lemon and Dill Rotisserie Chicken Enchilada Skillet Chicken Chimichangas BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

And don’t throw away the carcass! Make chicken stock – Put the whole carcass in a pot of water with onions, celery, garlic, parsley and fresh herbs and let is simmer slowly all day, then use the stock for recipes that call for chicken stock or broth.