Lemon-Herb Roast Chicken
A golden whole roast chicken with lemon, garlic and thyme and crackling skin. Sunday dinner, zero carb.
- Prep15 min
- Cook1 hr 15 min
- Serves6
Roast chicken is the simplest great meal. Dry brining and a hot oven give you shatteringly crisp skin and juicy meat, and the carcass makes a stock for the week.
Nutrition per serving (estimated)
Method
- The night before, pat the chicken dry, salt it inside and out and refrigerate uncovered.
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Mash the butter with the zest and half the thyme and rub under and over the skin.
- Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, garlic, onion and remaining herbs. Tie the legs and set the bird on a rack in a roasting pan. Drizzle with oil.
- Roast 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C). Rest 15 minutes before carving.
Chef’s notes
- Spatchcocking (removing the backbone) cuts the roast time nearly in half.
- Macros are for about 6 ounces of cooked meat and skin per serving.
Food safety: the USDA’s minimum internal temperatures are 165°F (74°C) for poultry, 160°F (71°C) for ground meat, and 145°F (63°C) for whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb and fish, with a 3-minute rest for the meat. Use an instant-read thermometer. More on food safety.
Nutrition is a calculated estimate per serving using standard ingredient data; brands and portions vary. Net carbs = total carbohydrates − fiber. Not medical advice. See our health disclaimer.
Round out the menu
Your notes on this recipe
Saved on this device only. Nobody else can see them, and nothing is posted.
Saved
Question about this recipe?
Goes straight to us and is never published. Leave your email if you would like a reply.
Love this? Get the whole month planned.
The 28-Day Plan turns recipes like this into four weeks of menus with macros, weekly grocery lists and Sunday prep. $29, instant download.
Never miss a recipe
One email a week: a new recipe, a menu idea and the occasional guide. Plus the free Keto Dress Code.