Easy Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken

I have been making this roasted rosemary lemon chicken for years and it is so simple and easy to make. If you’re looking for a simple dinner with very little prep work, then you’ll want to add this recipe to your arsenal. If you have struggled with baking chicken in the oven, I am going to give you every tip and trick so your chicken comes out flavorful and moist every time with perfectly brown crispy skin.

If you grow lemons and are always wondering how to utilize them all, then definitely check out our article on how to make Preserved Lemons. Instead of using freshly sliced lemons, preserved lemons are also great to use in this recipe. When you preserve lemons, it eliminates the bitterness of the lemon rind, making the entire slice completely edible. Since they are preserved in salt, they also add additional flavor to the dish.

After making this rosemary lemon chicken you should also check out some of our easy side dishes like Brown Butter Sage Carrots and our 5 Star Scallop Potatoes. Our roasted carrots can even be baked in the oven at the same time as the chicken.

6 Ingredient Roast Chicken

The best part about this recipe is you only need 6 ingredients. You’ll want to use bone-in chicken breasts, with the skin on, lemon, fresh rosemary, salt, pepper, and a little olive oil or butter. Trust me, our rosemary lemon chicken is going to be the easiest dish you’ve ever made.

Optional Marinade and Brining

Marinating and brining your chicken breasts is totally not necessary with this recipe. However, it will add extra flavor and moisture to the meat so if you have the time, go for it. Brining the meat will also make it more tender. Marinating meat seems complicated but it is really foolproof. Just throw your breasts into a large ziplock bag and add some of the suggestions below.

• Brine your chicken by heating 4 parts water to one part salt. Once cooled place your chicken in a ziplock bag with the brine and place it in the refrigerator overnight. You can also switch out some of the water for orange juice or apple cider.
• Marinades do not need to be heated on the stove and are quick to throw together. Place your chicken in a bag with red wine, white wine, orange juice, apple cider, or white balsamic vinegar. Let sit for a few hours or overnight and pat the skin dry well with paper towels before prepping.

How to make Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken

First, make sure to preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cooking at a higher temperature is important if you want nice crispy skin, and who wants their chicken skin to be soggy?

Rinse off your chicken breasts, remove any random feathers, and pat them dry well with paper towels. Then, using your finger, separate the top layer of skin from the fat.

Next, slice your lemons. It does not matter if they are thick or thin so do not worry about making them perfect. Once sliced, place 2-3 slices of lemon under the skin. Then take 2-3 whole sprigs of fresh rosemary and place them underneath the skin, on top of the lemon slices.

Finally, give the top of the skin a light spray of olive oil or you can spread a small sliver of butter over the skin. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and place in a shallow baking dish. I use my Cuisinart braising pan, but you can also use a pyrex baking dish or even a broiler pan. Roast your chicken in the oven at 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 155 degrees. Then let your rosemary lemon chicken sit for about 10 minutes until it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Can I cook vegetables in the same baking dish as roast chicken?

A very easy way to make this a one pan chicken dinner is to add vegetables. However, not all vegetables will cook at the same time so here are some tips.

If you are going to serve hard vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or turnips, then add them in the beginning and they will cook for the same time as your chicken. If you see them getting too brown, you can remove them while your chicken continues to cook.

For softer vegetables such as broccolini, cauliflower, and asparagus you will want to add them to the baking dish half way through or about 10 minutes into baking.

To prep the vegetables, I just toss them in a very light coat of olive oil, salt, and pepper and place them around the chicken breasts.

What internal temperature should roast chicken be before serving?

To make sure your roasted rosemary lemon chicken is cooked perfectly, I highly recommend using a meat thermometer. I use a Taylor meat thermometer that actually lets you set the temperature and then sets off an alarm once that temperature is reached. You want to place the thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken breast, but not touching the bone.

Chicken should be cooked at 165 degrees. However chicken will continue cooking once it is removed from the oven and should rest for an additional 10 minutes before serving. Therefore, I remove my chicken at 155 degrees and let it continue to cook while resting until it has reached 165 degrees.

Tips and Tricks for Making Perfect Roast Chicken

• Always make sure the skin of your chicken is dried very well with paper towels. This will ensure extra crispy skin.
• Use a meat thermometer and pull it out 10 degrees under the optimal internal temperature. All meat needs to rest so the juices can redistribute. While resting, your chicken will continue cooking. Removing the chicken breast slightly under will ensure your chicken is not dry or overcooked.
• If your chicken is finished cooking but the skin is not browned enough, do not panic. Simply remove the chicken, turn on the broiler, and let your chicken rest like normal. Then right before serving, place the chicken under the broiler until the skin turns nice and brown. The chicken will brown quickly so make sure you keep an eye on it the entire time.
• If you add a small amount of chicken broth (about 1/4 cup) it will keep your chicken moist and create a nice Au Jus you can pour around the plate to dip your chicken in.

Delicious Side Dishes For Roast Chicken

Here are a few of my favorite side dishes to serve with this roasted rosemary lemon chicken. Other great sides include polenta, mac and cheese, roasted vegetables, or sweet potato puree. This is such a versatile dish, it can really be served with anything!

If you make our Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken, be sure to let us know in the comments!