Greek Style Roast Chicken With Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary

Get ready to savour the taste of the Mediterranean with this Greek Style Roast Chicken With Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary. This juicy chicken is packed with garlic, zesty lemon, and aromatic rosemary, all roasted to perfection!

Imagine your kitchen filled with the irresistible aroma of garlic, the zesty kick of lemon, and the earthy notes of rosemary. That's the magic of Greek Roast Chicken! 

Today, I’m taking you on a tasty trip to the Mediterranean, where I'll show you how to whip up the most delicious Greek Style Roast Chicken With Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary. It's a flavour explosion that'll transport your taste buds straight to Greece, and I’m looking forward to sharing this recipe with you.

I'm a big fan of Mediterranean cooking. It's all about using fresh, healthy ingredients to create incredibly tasty dishes. Some of my other Mediterranean favourites include orzo pasta salad with feta and cucumber, air fryer chicken skewers, and juicy lamb kofta wraps.

❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Made With Simple Ingredients: Nothing fancy here! Just staple items you will find in your fridge or cupboard.
• Can Be Made In Advance: Leave the chicken to marinate in the herby marinade overnight in the fridge for maximum flavour.
• Allergy Friendly: This Greek chicken is naturally gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free by using a dairy-free butter.
• Can Be Used On Different Cuts Of Chicken: Whilst delicious on a whole roast chicken, you can use the marinade on chicken thighs, drumsticks, breasts or legs for a healthy and delicious weeknight meal.

🥘 Ingredients

✋ Be sure to double check all packaging for allergens. ✋

• Chicken: Buy the best quality chicken that you can afford. Don’t forget to keep the chicken carcass to make your own chicken stock. Recipe coming for this real soon!
• Fresh Rosemary: This woody, earthy herb is a match made in heaven with roast chicken. You can use dried rosemary if that’s all you have, however, I would really recommend using fresh rosemary if you can, as it gives a much fresher flavour.
• Lemon: We use both the zest and the juice of the lemon in this recipe. As we will be using the skin of the lemon I would advise buying unwaxed lemons.
• Butter: Depending on your taste preference you can use salted or unsalted butter. To make the recipe dairy-free, simply swap for a dairy-free butter or spread.
• Garlic: The bigger the garlic cloves the better! Garlic is full of health benefits and is really good for you, so don't be stingy!
• Onion: This is stuffed inside the chicken cavity along with the lemon and some rosemary to help intensify the flavour of the chicken.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ How To Make Greek Roast Chicken

⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️

Step 1: Prep The Marinade

Place the butter into a small bowl, Then, zest the lemon and either grate or mince the garlic. Afterwards, separate the leaves from the woody rosemary stems and dispose of the stems. Finely chop the rosemary leaves.

Combine all the marinade components in the same bowl as the butter, adding a squeeze of lemon juice and stir them together using a spoon. (If the butter is firm, you may need to briefly soften it in the microwave before blending it with the other ingredients).

Step 2: Prepare The Chicken

Carefully lift the chicken skin away from the meat using your fingers. Start at the neck end and gently work your fingers under the skin, being careful not to tear it. You want to create a pocket between the skin and the meat.

Step 3: Add The Butter Mixture

Take small amounts of the butter mixture and slide it under the chicken skin. You can use your fingers or a spatula to help distribute the butter evenly. Spread it as far as you can without tearing the skin.

Gently massage the outside of the chicken skin to spread the butter evenly over the meat. This will help ensure that the flavour and moisture are distributed throughout the chicken.

Step 4: Stuff The Cavity

Place a whole peeled onion, a couple of sprigs of rosemary and two lemon halves inside the bird. This will help to really bring out the garlic, herb and lemon flavour.

If you have time, leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight for maximum flavour.

Step 5: Roast In The Oven

Put the prepared Greek chicken in a large roasting tin and cook in a hot oven for around 1 hr 20 minutes, basting the bird regularly. The chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 74˚F / 165˚C. The best way to check this is with a meat thermometer, they are such a cheap and valuable addition to any kitchen!

💡 Tips & Tricks

• You may need to briefly soften the butter in the microwave before blending it with the other ingredients).
• When zesting the lemon, make sure you are only removing the yellow skin. You don’t the white pith as this has a very bitter taste.
• If you have time, leave the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight for maximum flavour. Remove from the fridge 10 minutes before placing in the oven, to allow the chicken to reach room temperature before cooking, otherwise the chicken may take longer to cook than stated.
• If you are using a citrus zester for the lemon, you can also use this to grate the garlic to save time.
• Stuffing the cavity with lemon, rosemary and onion will help intensify the flavours.
• Chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 74˚F / 165˚C. The best way to check this is with a meat thermometer, I wouldn’t be without mine!
• Don't forget to leave the chicken to rest before serving. Cover it in foil and rest for 15-20 minutes after you remove it from the oven. This helps the juices to redistribute back into the meat, making the meat tender and juicy.

🥡 How To Store

If you have any leftovers they will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can reheat the chicken in the microwave for a few minutes until piping hot throughout.

Any leftover chicken can also be made into this delicious leftover chicken curry.

To freeze the chicken, allow it to fully cool then place it in a freezer safe container where it can be safely frozen for up to 3 months.

When you are ready to eat, defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat as above.

🍴 Serving Suggestions

For a real taste of the Mediterranean serve the roasted chicken with these air fryer garlic smashed potatoes & roasted carrots & green beans.

This Greek chicken is also really tasty with some spicy rice and tzatziki.

You can also serve it for a traditional roast dinner alongside some slow cooker roast potatoes, air fryer honey roasted carrots & pan-fried Brussels sprouts with bacon & garlic.