Roasted Chicken with Lemon Herbs (Printable Version)

Golden roasted chicken with lemon, herbs, and feta alongside crispy buttery potatoes.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 1 whole chicken (approximately 3.3 lbs), patted dry
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 lemon, zested and quartered
04 - 4 garlic cloves, smashed
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
07 - 1 teaspoon salt
08 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ For the Potatoes

09 - 2.2 lbs small new potatoes, halved
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

→ To Finish

14 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill or parsley, chopped
16 - Extra lemon wedges for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon zest, chopped herbs, salt, and pepper. Rub this mixture thoroughly over the chicken, inside and out. Stuff the cavity with lemon quarters and smashed garlic cloves.
03 - Place the chicken breast-side up in a large roasting pan. Scatter halved potatoes around the chicken. Drizzle potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Toss gently to coat.
04 - Roast for 1 hour, basting the chicken and potatoes with pan juices once or twice. If potatoes brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
05 - Check the chicken for doneness with a meat thermometer, ensuring internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part. If needed, roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
06 - Remove the pan from the oven. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.
07 - Sprinkle crumbled feta and fresh dill or parsley over the potatoes and chicken. Serve with extra lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The entire meal cooks in one pan, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying dinner with people you care about.
  • Lemon and fresh herbs brighten everything without feeling heavy, making it feel lighter than it actually is.
  • Feta adds this unexpected creamy-salty contrast that makes people stop mid-bite and ask what you did differently.
02 -
  • Resting the chicken isn't just traditional—it genuinely changes the texture, keeping the meat juicy instead of letting all those flavorful juices run onto the plate.
  • If your potatoes look done before the chicken, you can remove just the potatoes and keep them warm on the side while the chicken finishes—they won't suffer from it.
03 -
  • A meat thermometer removes all the guesswork and prevents the disappointing moment of cutting into undercooked chicken—it's the single best investment for roasted chicken confidence.
  • The pan juices are liquid gold, so don't pour them down the drain—spoon them over everything before serving, and even consider straining them to drizzle one more time after plating.
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