Greek Whole Roast Chicken
Get ready to savour the taste of the Mediterranean with this Greek Whole Roast Chicken With Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary. This juicy chicken is packed with garlic, zesty lemon, and aromatic rosemary, all roasted to perfection!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 410kcal
Equipment
- Citrus Zester or smallest setting on cheese grater
- Meat thermometer optional
Ingredients
- 2 kg ( 4.4 lb) whole chicken
- 3 tablespoon butter use dairy free butter to make recipe dairy free
- 3 cloves garlic minced/grated
- 1 medium lemon zest and juice of, then remaining lemon for cavity
- 5 sprigs fresh rosemary 3 for marinade, 2 for the cavity
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium onion peeled - for the cavity
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180˚Fan / 200˚C / 390˚ F.
- Place the butter into a small bowl, Then, zest the lemon and either grate or mince the garlic. Afterwards, separate the leaves of 3 of the rosemary sprigs from the woody 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.
- 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.
- Take small amounts of the butter mixture & slide it under the chicken skin. Use your fingers or a spatula to help distribute the butter evenly.Gently massage the outside of the chicken skin to spread the butter evenly over the meat.
- Place a whole peeled onion, two sprigs of rosemary and two lemon halves inside the cavity of the chicken.
- If you have time, leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight for maximum flavour.
- Put the prepared 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˚C / 165˚F.Remove the chicken from the oven and cover in foil, allowing it to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to be redistributed back into the meat.
Notes
See the recipe post for more detailed guidance and instructions.
Tips & Tricks
- Soften The Butter: If the butter is firm, you may need to briefly soften it in the microwave before blending it with the other ingredients.
- Don’t Zest The Pith: While zesting the lemon it’s important to only remove the yellow skin, as the white pith has an unpleasant bitter taste.
- Marinate The Chicken: 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, it may take longer to cook than stated.
- Baste Regularly: Basting the chicken with the pan juices every 20-30 minutes while roasting helps it to stay moist and juicy throughout the cooking process.
- Stuff For Extra Flavour: Stuffing the cavity with lemon, rosemary and onion will help intensify the flavours.
- Use A Meat Thermometer: The cooking time will depend on the size of the bird, so the best way to check is with a meat thermometer. Chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 74˚C / 165˚F at the thickest part of the bird. I wouldn’t be without mine!
- Leave To Rest Before Serving: Cover the roasted chicken 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 257mg | Potassium: 363mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 409IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg
