Simple lemon and garlic roast chicken.

This simple lemon and garlic roast chicken is so easy to prepare and very tasty. Spoil your family this Sunday by following this easy step by step recipe tutorial.

I remember that before I made my first roast chicken with a good friend of mine, her mother in law (a farmer’s wife and very seasoned cook), gave us confused stares when we would buy our ready roasted chickens from Woolies. That was probably because she knew we as young newlyweds, were paying through our ears for something that could so easily be done at home. These days I love to roast whole chickens myself. There is just something so good about a golden grilled chicken. It is just the peak of homeyness to me! I feel like Martha Stewart herself when I get to carve a piece out of it and hand it to my hubby.

One of my followers admitted to me that she has never made a home roasted chicken because she feels intimidated by it. I have therefore decided to give a small tutorial so that you too can roast a whole chicken to perfection.

What will I need to make a simple lemon and garlic roast chicken?

You will need:

1. 1 large onion
2. 2 celery sticks
3. 3 carrots
4. 2 fresh lemons
5. 1 large bulb of garlic cut in half
6. 1/3 cup butter melted
7. fresh thyme and rosemary (two big hands full)
8. 1 tsp salt
9. freshly ground pepper
10. 1.5 kg whole chicken
11. a large roasting dish to fit all the veggies and chicken

How to prepare chicken for simple lemon and garlic roast chicken.

Start by adding all of your chopped veggies and herbs to your roasting pan. The veggies should fill the roasting pan to prevent the chicken from resting directly in its own juices. This will help promote a delicious crispy skin on the chicken.

Pat the chicken dry with a kitchen towel. Cut the lemons into quarters and halve the garlic bulb. Place inside of the body cavity with about 3/4 of the herbs. You can add some of the lemons to the roasting pan as well.

Rub the chicken with salt and pepper. Tuck the wings in and tie the legs together with kitchen string.

Place the chicken on top of the cut veggies and brush with melted butter. Your chicken is now ready to roast at 200° C in a preheated oven for 1 1/2 hour. Occasionally baste the chicken by spooning some of the juices from the bottom of the tray over the chicken. This can be done every half hour while the chicken is roasting.

Remove the chicken from the oven after the cooking time. Insert a skewer between the thigh and body and check that the juices run clear. This will indicate that the chicken is fully cooked. Carve your chicken into pieces. This chicken is great served with roasted potatoes, a fresh salad and some crusty bread.

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Print Recipe

Simple lemon and garlic roasted chicken

This simple lemon and garlic roast chicken is so easy to prepare and very tasty. Spoil your family this Sunday by following this easy step by step recipe tutorial.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time1 hr 30 mins

Total Time1 hr 50 mins

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• 2 celery sticks
• 3 carrots
• 2 fresh lemons
• 1 large bulb of garlic cut in half
• 1/3 cup butter melted
• fresh thyme and rosemary two big hands full
• 1 tsp salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1.5 kg whole chicken
• a large roasting dish to fit all the veggies and chicken

Instructions

• Pat the chicken dry with a kitchen towel. Cut the lemons into quarters and halve the garlic bulb. Place inside of the body cavity with about 3/4 of the herbs. You can add some of the lemons to the roasting pan as well.
• Rub the chicken with salt and pepper. Tuck the wings in and tie the legs together with kitchen string.
• Place the chicken on top of the cut veggies and brush with melted butter. Your chicken is now ready to roast at 200° C in a preheated oven for 1 1/2 hour. Baste the chicken by spooning some of the juices on the bottom of the tray over the chicken. This can be done every half hour while the chicken is roasting.
• Remove the chicken from the oven after the cooking time. Insert a skewer between the thigh and body and check if the juices run clear. The chicken is fully cooked when the juices run clear. This is great served with roasted potatoes, a fresh salad and some crusty bread.