Now that I am firmly back in a Spring state of mind, I’m ready to post this luminous lemon thyme roast chicken.
This simple idea came to me in the middle of a workout the other day – (I’m all about living in the moment, provided that moment includes food). The sun was shining, spirits were high and visions of luscious lemon began seeping into my consciousness.
What would it be? refreshing lemon-mint juice… lemony roasted pepper hummus… spicy lemon Piri Piri shrimp … roasted cauliflower with a lemon-tahini dressing … fresh lemon curd…
The dreamy possibilities seemed endless.
It’s not easy being held captive. I hope you enjoy this one.
Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken
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1 whole chicken
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1 large yellow onion, chopped
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2 Tbsp olive oil
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Juice of two lemons
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Zest of two lemons
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1/2 cup fresh chopped thyme plus a few sprigs for decorating
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Sea salt & coarse pepper
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Notes:
Roast chicken is one of the easiest and most economical meals you can make. Add in a couple of key ingredients and it may also become one of the tastiest.
Place chicken on a rack set inside the roasting pan to get it up and away from the juices on the bottom – this allows the bird to brown along the sides.
I like to start with an initial burst of heat, followed by a more moderate oven temperature. This allows the skin of the chicken to crisp up nicely and lends a delicious roasted flavour.
Oven temperatures and birds will vary but here are some general guidelines to cooking times by weight of bird.
Chicken Roasting Times:
Weight of Bird Time
2 ½ – 3 lbs 1 – 1 ¾ hrs
3 ½ – 4 lbs 1 ½ – 1 ¾ hrs
4 ½ – 5 lbs 1 ½ – 2 hrs
5 – 6 lbs 1 ¾ – 2 ½ hrs
3 ½ – 4 lbs 1 ½ – 1 ¾ hrs
4 ½ – 5 lbs 1 ½ – 2 hrs
5 – 6 lbs 1 ¾ – 2 ½ hrs
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Heat oven to 450 F
In a small bowl, mix chopped onion, a 1/4 cup chopped thyme and pinch of sea salt and black pepper together.
Place onion mixture in cavity of bird.
Drizzle or brush olive oil over bird, using your fingers to spread the oil and massage it into the skin.
Sprinkle the bird with some sea salt and pepper and top with a couple sprigs of thyme.
Place chicken in oven for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest and remaining chopped thyme.
Remove chicken from oven, reduce heat to 375 F and cover chicken with lemon mixture
Return bird to oven to roast in accordance with size/time guidelines set out above. Check on chicken periodically to ensure that it is not over-crisping. If you find that the skin is getting too dark or crisp, loosely tent foil over the chicken.
Allow chicken to settle for 10 to 15 minutes out of oven before carving. Serve with remaining fresh thyme and warmed reserved marinade as desired.
What a beautiful looking roast chicken. I love how you cooked it on a rack. It certainly has turned out a beautiful golden colour xx
Thanks Nami – I do like lemon quite a bit don’t I… ;-) especially this time of year, can’t seem to get enough citrus goodness. I will have to search your site for “yuzu” – entirely new to me and very intriguing… glad you mentioned it! Have a beautiful day.
Thanks Charles… it’s a yummy one indeed… but I’m still thinking about your lemon curd ;-)
Thanks CJ! It’s such a nice surprise to wake up to in the morning… :)
I have certainly bought rotisserie chickens on-the-go myself but it’s nice to have this homestyle version that’s so easy to whip together (provided you’re home while it’s in the oven :)
Hi Caroline – thank you, it was very tasty and the whole family enjoyed!
Thanks so much!
Oh, in that case, I guess it’s a good thing that I eat chicken ! ;-)
There’s no doubt that this recipe can be made more complex and its taste possibly improved upon but my philosophy tends is to keep things as simple and close to its natural form as possible. Agreed, it is a blank canvas and the possibilities are endless! Thanks DB – I appreciate you stopping by.
Thank you Viviane – it’s a pretty nice result for a modest time investment and smelled pretty wonderful indeed.
Thanks so much Alyssa – and I just love your lemon mint juice :)
You’re right… I tend towards lemon chicken too… my husband (once) :) made a gorgeous lemon and caramelized onion recipe in the skillet… it was many years ago but I can still taste it! :)
Thank you Angie – I hope you’re having a great day :)
Very kind Anne – thank you!
I find some days just evaporate and I am left scrambling at dinner time despite best intentions, thoughts or efforts. Part of life ;-)
Thanks Jeanette ~ it’s a simple and practical one for sure.
Wow, Kristy, what a dynamite memory you have! I recall my workouts being interrupted by persistent food thoughts in the past ;-) but completely forgot that it was lemon the last time as well… I think we might be on to something :)
Thyme is one of those underrated herbs… so wonderful!
Heehee, thanks Reem!
Thanks so much for stopping by Susan and welcome to Inspired Edibles! :)
Aww, thanks Chris… quite yummy smelling indeed.
Me too… so simple and yummy. Please check out my friend Kristy’s version of piri piri noted above – you will not be disappointed!
I agree… and I just recently gotten into it again – I seem to gorget about it and then, when I rediscover this wonderful option, I make it over and over again for months ;-) Thanks Judy.
Thanks so much Steph :-)
Yay for spring! Enjoy :)
Funny you should mention that, I remember a couple years ago coming across my first batch of lemon thyme and thinking it was the most exquisitely smelling herb in the world!! You could absolutely use it here.
Haha, thanks CJ, I definitely aim for simplicity and hopefully tasty too! :)
Thanks so much Ping! :)
I’m with you on the leftovers… the flavour combinations are endless, aren’t they… always something new to look forward to!
Thanks Eva – I find photographing meat in its whole form very tricky – I’m always conscious of respecting the animal as much as possible and sometimes that can be a very difficult image to communicate. Thank you for your kind feedback.
It doesn’t get any easier than this recipe :) Your lemon curd sounds divine Sissi…
Thanks for your feedback Jangles – I make an effort to seek out free range and whenever possible purchase organic.
Thank you so much for dropping by Veronica, it’s wonderful to see you here! I appreciate you taking the time to say hello.
It’s hard to miss indeed. Thanks Yummy :)
I like the endless possibilities scenario but agree that it can be a bit overwhelming at times (not to mention time consuming!) Cheers Jen.
I hear y’a sister – we are having a rainy week (that’s better than sub zero temps and snow though :)
I’ve probably cooked birds upside down myself unwittingly – ah well, still tastes delish. Thanks for the compliments Lisa – very kind of you to take the time… :)
hee.hee, thanks for the notice Kim – smooch :)
Thank you so much Pola. It’s hard to beat the simplicity of this meal and if you plan it right, it gives rise to all kinds of yummy leftovers too!
Hi Chef Connie, thank you so much for dropping in and for your kind comments and support. I’m always thrilled to welcome new visitors to Inspired Edibles!
Congrats on getting Top 9!!
Hi Kelly! Hmmm all of your lemony menus sound so good. I just learned about pri piri shrimp yesterday too. I love lemon, lime, yuzu, all these used as seasonings, and this lemon thyme roast chicken is something I truly enjoy! I can imagine having this in a nice summer evening. Very refreshing & juicy chicken!
Hi Kelly, I love lemon and thyme with chicken – I bet this made for a beautiful meal – I can almost smell it from here :D
Congratulations on your foodbuzz top 9, today!
i love how simple roast chicken is. i usually just buy a rotisserie chicken, but never roasted one myself! thanks for the cooking tips.
Forgot to note: Congratulations on making the Foodbuzz Top 9!
What a gorgeous bird!! Lemon and thyme make for such a fantastic flavor combo.
It has been said that one way to evaluate a chef when inquiring about a job is to demonstrate how they roast a chicken. This recipe sounds delicious but I wonder if you couldn’t have improved the flavor by brining the bird first. Also, no trussing?
This is one of the simplest dishes that can be made but I see it as a blank canvas because there are so many possibilities.
Lemon and thyme make a great flavor pairing. The fragrance must have been something delightful!
Yumm. I love a good roast chicken and lemon-thyme is one of my favorite flavors! Your’s looks perfect with wonderful crispy skin!
Hi Sissy, I live in Calgary and yes you can get big birds. We go to a Chinese butcher and they can range in size from 5 to 10 pounds. They usually sell the Hutterite chickens, and boy are they ever good. I don’t know if they are free range or not but, who cares they are delicious.
I make this every time I have a chicken! Nothing better than lemony roast chicken.
I can easily imagine how good your kitchen was going to smell while roasting the chicken!
And Congratulations! It’s no surprise that this beautiful chicken found it’s way into the Top 9!!! Yay! : )
Kelly…this is the perfect….springtime…Sunday supper to me. As a matter of fact, driving home today…I kicked myself for not roasting a chicken this past weekend. This is exactly what I had on my mind tonight. Unfortunately, it was not what was on my plate. : ( This really looks scrumptious! : )
This is one of my favorite go-to meals – love the combination of lemon and thyme!
I keep meaning to make a roast chicken. I’ve printed out so many fabulous looking roast chicken recipes, but have yet to actually do it. This lemon version looks absolutely phenomenal too. And I seem to remember another time you began craving lemon in a workout. ;) I’m digging your workouts – bring on the lemon! I can never have enough.
Perfect chicken! I don’t use thyme nearly enough in my cooking!
Perfectly don chicken!!!
Look at the crispy golden skin, yum….
You just can’t beat a great roasted chicken! I can just imagine how juicy and tangy this bird is … you’ll have great leftover meat for follow-up meals too!
I don’t have to try very hard to imagine the fabulous aroma as this roasted! Beautiful!
Oh yum! I love a simple roasted chicken and this look divine :) PS – Piri piri is a particular favorite of mine, would love to see your version!
I keep telling my friend that baked chicken is one of the easiest meals ever! Just a few ingredients and you have a beautifully roasted bird for any number of meals. Yours looks scrumptious!
Oh my gosh! Mouthwatering!!
Spring is finally here. I”m am getting my winter tires taken off today! The true mark of spring. Good timing Kelly. I just bought a beautiful bird, this is what we’ll do with it.
Absolutely delicious chicken! When I saw Lemon Thyme chicken I thought you actually used lemon thyme. I grow lemon thyme in my herb garden and am always looking for recipes that use it. I truly don’t see why I couldn’t use it here! Beautiful roast chicken!!
This looks so tasty and simple, just like most of your dishes :-)
Yes, agreed! A roast chicken’s the easiest go to when I’m out of ideas and it’s just a matter of changing the flavors around to get a good and satisfying meal. And then there’s the leftovers … yum, more possibilities!
I just have one word for this post: YUM. Lemon and thyme are a match made in heaven, Kelly. And the photos of the raw chicken? You pulled it off my friend. Photographing raw meat with appetite appeal is not an easy task and you aced it. Wonderful. And a great idea for a weeknight meal, thank you!
Your lemon and thyme chicken is one of the sunniest dishes I can think of! It looks so easy, but fabulous at the same time. I also constantly think about lemon in the spring. Strawberries are there, but still disappointing in taste, so lemon is still an excellent solution. Actually I have just made some lemon curd once more and guess what I thought admiring your crispy beautiful bird? Yes, they would make a perfect meal together. (Can you really find 5 or 6 pound chickens in Canada? The only ones I have seen having this weight were capons)
Kelly, I came here from Ping’s Pickings. So glad that meet you there. You can never go wrong with lemon and thyme added to roast a chicken. You have share great info on how to roast the bird with us. I like your step by step photos. Thanks for the effort.
Fantastic looking bird! Roast chicken any way is delicious.
I do that all the time too! Sometimes I’m stuck for ideas of what to make and others I have so many I can’t focus my brain enough to make any of them!
What a beautiful looking bird! I love the combo of lemon and thyme…now if only it actually felt like spring.
I like the step by step photo’s! The last time I cooked a bird, I cooked it upside down unknowingly! lol
I too like using lemon for my poultry recipes, well actually almost all of my recipes! I agree you have a great blog and beautiful photo’s as always!
** (I’m all about living in the moment, provided that moment includes food*** HaaHa.
Kelly, this chicken looks DELIsssssh. I love the idea of crispy lemon skin! Ohhh Laaa Laaa.
Xxxxx
I love a good roasted chicken with the crispy skin! Yours look perfectly crispy!
This is my first time to your blog. Very beautiful. I will definately be back soon. I love the layout and ease of use with your blog. See you soon.