This whole chicken recipe has been one that is tried and true in our household and I wanted to share it with you because something this good shouldn’t be kept a secret!
I’ve tested the recipe over and over again to make sure it’s perfect, and I feel like it just keeps getting better and better. Even my 6 year old can’t stop eating it when I’m cutting it up for dinner time. He reminds me of the dad on A Christmas Story who can’t stay away from the turkey!
The key to making this amazing chicken recipe is using a cast iron dutch oven. I was gifted mine for Christmas from my mama but this is the link to the exact one. I used to bake chicken in a regular pan before and while it was really good, this dutch oven is a game changer. If you don’t have one, just bake it in a pan. You’ll still get amazing results!
To prep your chicken, you’ll want to loosen the skin by sliding your fingers under it. It’s a dirty job but somebody’s gotta do it!
Under the skin you’ll rub in few cloves of roasted garlic and put in a few sprigs of rosemary to infuse the meat as it cooks. On top of the skin, I like to sprinkle it with lots of seasonings. I don’t measure this part but you’ll want to be liberal with the garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and sea salt. Then thinly slice 1 lemon and place them all over the top of the chicken. It should look something like this…
Once it’s ready, you are going to put it in the oven at 475 degrees for 15 mins. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake it for an additional 20 mins for every pound. So a 4 pound chicken will need an additional 80 mins. You’ll bake it without the lid but if it starts to get too dark on top, you can put the lid on to avoid burning.
Once it’s done cooking and reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees, you’ll take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 20 minutes before cutting it. This is an important step because it lets all the juices settle so they don’t run all over your cutting board instead of in your mouth. Ha!
Notes:
If you’d like to make this a whole meal in one pot, you can add veggies like carrots, onions, and/or potatoes under and around the chicken before you put it in the oven. Those veggies will absorb the flavors of the chicken and spices and will taste amazing!
To roast the garlic, drizzle a few cloves in olive oil, add them to foil and make a little packet. Roast it at 450 for 20 mins. It should come out caramelized, brown(ish), and soft.
If your lemons slide off, secure them with a toothpick. You can remove the toothpick before serving.
Remember, you’ll bake the chicken for 15 mins at 475 then an additional 20 mins at 350 for every pound that your chicken weighs. When it’s done, the internal temp of your chicken should be 165.
| Prep Time | 10 min |
| Cook Time | 95 min (depending on the size of your chicken) |
| Servings |
chicken
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- 1 whole chicken
- 1-2 lemons, sliced
- 3 sprigs rosemary 2 for under the skin, 1 for the top
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- sea salt
- black pepper
- 3-4 cloves roasted garlic
Ingredients
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- Step 1: Prep your chicken. You'll want to loosen the skin by sliding your fingers under it. It's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it! Step 2: Under the skin you'll rub in few cloves of roasted garlic and put in 2 sprigs of rosemary to infuse the meat as it cooks. Step 3: On top of the skin, sprinkle with lots of seasonings. You'll want to be liberal with the garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and sea salt. Step 4: Thinly slice the lemon and place the slices on top of the chicken. Add the last sprig of rosemary to the top. Step 5: Put it in the oven at 475 degrees for 15 mins. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake it for an additional 20 mins for every pound. See recipe notes. You'll bake it without the lid but if it starts to get too dark on top, you can put the lid on to avoid burning.