Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme

A golden, juicy whole chicken scented with lemon, thyme and garlic, the easiest Sunday roast of all.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1h 30m
Total: 1 hour 45 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
6 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken, about 2kg
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1 head of garlic, halved across the middle
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 50g softened butter
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/gas 6. Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and pat the skin dry with kitchen paper.

  2. Push the butter under the skin of the breast and rub the rest over the legs. Season well all over with salt and pepper.

  3. Put the lemon halves, half the garlic and half the thyme inside the cavity. Scatter the onion, remaining garlic and thyme in a roasting tin and sit the chicken on top. Drizzle with the olive oil.

  4. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes, basting once or twice, until the skin is deep golden and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced.

  5. Rest the chicken on a warm board, covered loosely with foil, for 15 minutes before carving. Keep the tin juices for gravy.