This Simple Honey-Lemon Roasted Chicken is a great go-to chicken recipe that's delicious any time of the year. It's a comfort food that's full of fresh and rich flavors.
The other day a friend asked if my recipes are "involved."
"Often," I said. "I like to make a day of it."
I know some of you are thinking, "Um . . . a day!?"
Truth be told, like most of us, I don't always have a lot of time, or I'm not in the mood for complex. As it turns out, I'm also human. 😉
This recipe is somewhere in between.
The recipe itself is quite simple -- hence the title -- and so is the cooking process. However, you need to stick near the kitchen while you're cooking.
How is it made?
This chicken cooks for around an hour, but the active work time is only about 30 minutes and anyone who tries it will want the recipe. It's that good.
Do you see that butter up there? That's a compound butter made with lemon, thyme, honey and garlic. It takes just a few minutes to whip up and it's what makes this recipe amazing. The chicken is basted with this -- inside and out -- before it's roasted.
Oh, and it makes for a fantastic lemon-garlic bread, too.
The Best Method to Roast a Whole Chicken
This applies to this Simple Honey-Lemon Roasted Chicken recipe, and any time you roast a chicken.
- Once the chicken has been basted (according to whatever recipe you're using), truss it, place it breast side up in a greased roasting pan with at least a couple inches of space around it.
- Place the pan in a 500°F oven, and roast until the surface of the chicken is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and reduce the heat to 350°F.
- Very carefully, using tongs, placing one part inside the cavity and one gently on the top of the breast side, flip the chicken over so it's breast side down.
- Now, with the back side up, baste the chicken.
- Continue to roast until internal temperature is 155°F -- this should take about 40 minutes for an approximately 4-pound chicken.
- During the roasting process, every 15 minutes or so, baste the chicken.
- Once you remove the chicken from the oven, crumple up a few sheets of foil and place it under the chicken, beneath the legs. This will let all of the juices flow into the breasts while it rests. Let it rest this way for 15 minutes.
- The final internal temperature should be about 165°F, as the chicken will continue to cook for several minutes outside of the oven. It should be nicely browned, the juices should run clear and the legs should move easily when it's done.
With only 30 minutes of prep time, this roasted chicken is incredibly flavorful and succulent -- and it would make a beautiful holiday dish, to boot!
Enjoy every last bite of your Simple Honey-Lemon Roasted Chicken Recipe!
More of my favorite roasted chicken recipes:
Simple Honey-Lemon Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped (or ½ teaspoon dry thyme)
- ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 (approximately 4 pound) whole chicken
Instructions
- Set oven and make butter. Preheat the oven to 500°F.In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with the lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, thyme and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Prep the chicken and baking dish. Remove the insides of the chicken, and pat dry with paper towels. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture on the bottom of a small roasting pan that's at least a couple of inches larger than the chicken, on all sides.
- Baste and truss. Place the chicken in the pan, on top of the butter, breast side up. Rub 2 more tablespoons of the butter mixture under the skin. (This should include the breasts and legs.) Work your way under as much of the skin as possible -- if you're very gentle, it won't tear.Now truss the chicken with butcher's twine. (Here's How to Truss a Chicken.) (It's also okay to just tie the ends of the legs together if trussing it becomes tricky.) Rub the remaining blackberry-thyme butter mixture on top -- all over the skin of the chicken.
- Roast. Place the pan in the preheated 500°F oven and roast until the surface of the chicken is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and reduce the heat to 350 F degrees.
- Flip. Very carefully, using tongs, placing one part inside the cavity and one gently on the top of the breast side, flip the chicken over so it's breast side down. Coat the back of the chicken with the remaining butter mixture and then return the chicken to the oven.
- Continue to roast. Once the oven has cooled to 350°F, continue to roast the chicken until internal temperature is 155°F -- this should take about an hour, but focus only on the temperature and not the time. (For an accurate reading of the temperature, place the thermometer deep into the flesh, away from bones.) During the roasting process, every 15 or so, use a spoon to baste the chicken with the butter and juices from the bottom of the pan.The final internal temperature will be about 165°F, as the chicken will continue to cook for several minutes outside of the oven. It should be nicely browned, the juices should run clear and the legs should move easily when it's done. (If you think it's getting too brown before the chicken is cooked, lightly cover it with foil in the oven.)
- Let the chicken rest. Once you remove the chicken from the oven, crumple up a few sheets of foil and place it under the chicken, beneath the legs. This will let all of the juices flow into the breasts while it rests for about 15 minutes.
Notes
Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious
Delicious looking skin on that bird 🙂 Great way to feed a family and still be super tasty!
valentina
Thanks, Gerry! Happy Holidays to you and yours! 🙂
sippitysup
Merry Christmas to you and your bird! GREG
Blanca
Made this last night. So simple yet so AMAZING. My picky 14 year old loved it. I had to force her to try it because she thought it was going to be sweet but she was impressed. Thank you so much. (She's a tough one to please)
valentina
Thank YOU, Blanca! Love that your daughter like it, too! 🙂
DinnerTimeTV
Looks great, can't wait! I love anything to do with honey, and my wife and kids love lemon, so this looks like a "can't miss" recipe!
David @ Spiced
Oh man, that compound butter! It looks (and sounds) delicious. And this roasted chicken has perfectly golden skin. You've nailed it, Valentina! I hear ya on 'involved' recipes. Truthfully, I like to have a mix of options in my recipe bag. Sometimes I want something silly easy and other times I don't mind trying my hand at something more involved. I guess it depends on my mood. But I do know that I will always be in the mood for a roasted chicken that looks this tasty! 🙂
valentina
Thanks, David! Enjoy (on a day you're in the mood for the mix). 😉
David
This is a great method, but you know I’ll be replacing the garlic with shallots and I might just add some lavender! 😉
valentina
But of course, my friend. 🙂 Adding lavender sound divine -- I love it with lemon particularly.
John / Kitchen Riffs
I often slip some compound butter under the skin of a chicken I'm roasting, too. Adds so much flavor, doesn't it? Good job with this -- thanks.
valentina
Thanks, John. Yes, I think the butter should go anywhere possible. 🙂
Tisha
So Simple yet so gorgeous! Love the Honey lemon!
valentina
Thank you, Tisha. 🙂
Natalie
Looks so delicious! I love roasted chicken! It's a great healthy idea for dinner or lunch!
valentina
Thanks, Natalie. Or breakfast!? 😉
Savita
Love savoury chicken recipes such as this. So much flavor and color is just gorgeous. Yumm!
valentina
Thank you! Hope you give it a go. 🙂
Brian Jones
What a lovely looking glaze on the chicken, superb flavours too! Love it!
valentina
Thanks, Brian. Enjoy!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
Honey and lemon are two flavours that just work so well together, I love the sound of them on this chicken. Definitely need to try this!
valentina
Thanks! Hope you do! 🙂
Christina | Christina's Cucina
This is such a simple recipe, but oh, so tasty! I know because I make one that is a bit similar, and you just can't beat simple, honest to goodness ingredients!
Your photos make me want to have this chicken right now and it's almost 11pm, Valentina! Thanks for the inspiration! Need to make this soon!
valentina
Here's what I love, Christina: "honest to goodness ingredients!" Love! Thank you!
Healthy Kitchen 101
This is sort of classic roasted chicken, lemon and honey tastes for the chicken is the best!
Yummy 😋
- Natalie Ellis
valentina
Thank you, Natalie! 🙂
Nancy
Do you think this would work in an air fryer? I've done a whole chicken in mine before but just used spices/salt/pepper and a quick hit with cooking spray.
valentina
Hi Nancy, I'm not sure about this. I have an air fryer, but have never used it for bone-in chicken. If you've done a whole chicken in one before, it sounds like you have more experience than me. I'd give it a go. Please let us know how it goes. 🙂
Betty
Can this be adapted to chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken? How much time would it take?
I haven't tried roasting pieces at a higher temp before.
Thank you!
valentina
Hi Betty! Okay, if you wanted to use boneless chicken breasts, follow this recipe, only use the lemon-honey butter in place of the one listed and not salsa. The cooking time will be much less (about 10 minutes). If you still wanted to do bone-in, skin-on, the cooking time will be closer to 30 minutes. Hope this helps!
valentina
Hi Betty! Okay, if you wanted to use boneless chicken breasts, follow this recipe, only use the lemon-honey butter in place of the one listed and not salsa. The cooking time will be much less (about 10 minutes). If you still wanted to do bone-in, skin-on, the cooking time will be closer to 30 minutes. Hope this helps! 🙂 ~Valentina