Lemon Garlic Butter Roast Chicken

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A tender and juicy roast chicken served with homemade gravy. The chicken is flavoured by butter, garlic, lemon and parsley. Add potatoes and greens for a complete meal.

A whole roasted chicken garnished with lemon slices on a white platter, served with mashed potatoes, green beans, and gravy.

Celebrate the wonderful freshness of seasonal lemons with this Lemon Garlic Butter Roast Chicken. Make a homemade flavoured butter by mixing lemon zest, crushed garlic and fresh parsley into softened butter. Spread the butter under the chicken's skin and coat it on top. Stuff a whole lemon into the cavity to infuse the meat with even more flavour and juiciness. After the chicken cooks, render the juices down to create the most divine gravy.

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Ingredient notes:
Step by step instructions:
Recipe FAQs:
Storage:
Related Recipes:
Lemon Garlic Butter Roast Chicken

Ingredient notes:

Whole raw chicken in packaging, a bowl of butter slices, a lemon, parsley, a bowl of salt, chicken stock cube, and garlic cloves on a countertop.

Whole chicken: A classic, budget-friendly roast that's packed with flavour when seasoned well.
Lemon: Zest for brightness in the butter, juice for tang in the gravy, and the whole lemon roasted inside for aromatic flavour.
Butter: Softened butted takes on the flavour of the garlic and lemon. Additionally it helps to make the outside of the skin golden and crispy.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.

Step by step instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. In a small bowl, soften the butter. Add lemon zest, parsley, garlic, black pepper, and salt. Mix well to create the flavoured butter.

A green bowl containing chopped garlic, lemon zest, butter cubes, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and olive oil on a light countertop.

A raw whole chicken in a roasting pan, a halved lemon, and a bowl of yellow herb butter mixture with a spoon on a white countertop.

Using your hands, carefully stuff the butter under the skin of the chicken, spreading it over the breast and legs. Melt a bit of remaining butter and brush it over the outside of the chicken skin.

Raw whole chicken seasoned with spices, lemon zest, and herbs, placed in a glass baking dish, ready for cooking.

A raw whole chicken in a roasting pan with a hand holding a halved lemon, one half already placed inside the chicken cavity.

Cut the zested lemon in half and place it inside the cavity of the chicken. Bake in a roasting dish for 25-30 minutes per 500g of chicken. Before baking, calculate your total time based on the chicken's weight. Once the chicken has been roasted ensure it is cooked all the way though. Pierce the flesh with a sharp knife and the juices should run clear. Remove from the roasting dish, cover (with tinfoil or lid) and rest.

Whole raw chicken seasoned with herbs and butter, placed in a black roasting pan, ready for cooking.

A whole roasted chicken with browned, crispy skin sits in a black roasting pan with juices pooled at the bottom.

To make the gravy, pour 1 cup of chicken stock into the roasting dish. Scrape up all the golden bits stuck to the bottom for maximum flavour. Avoid any very burnt bits as these can make your gravy bitter.

A person pours broth from a glass measuring cup into a roasting pan on a stovetop, with steam rising and a wooden spatula stirring the contents.

A brown sauce is being poured through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan on a stovetop.

Squeeze the roasted lemon halves from the chicken into the pan, then strain everything into a small saucepan. Bring to the boil.

A hand pours a creamy liquid from a measuring cup into a saucepan of dark simmering liquid while stirring with a wooden spoon.

A stainless steel saucepan filled with simmering brown sauce sits on a stovetop.

Mix cornflour with a little cold water to make a slurry, then pour into the saucepan and stir until thickened. Add a drizzle of honey or a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity, if desired.

Roast chicken garnished with lemon halves on a platter, served with a side of green beans, mashed potatoes in a bowl, and a jug of gravy.

Serve the roast chicken with the lemony gravy, mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables.

A plate with roasted chicken, mashed potatoes topped with brown gravy, and green beans, with a gravy jug and blue napkin in the background.

I served my roast chicken with mashed potatoes and steamed green beds. Both root vegetables and greens would make good sides. Other great recipes would include Hasselback Potatoes, Potato Bake, Honey Glazed Carrots or Sautéed Asparagus and Beans.

Recipe FAQs:

How do I know when the chicken is fully cooked?

Pierce the thickest part of the thigh - if the juices run clear, it's done. A meat thermometer should read 75°C.

Can the butter be prepared in advance?

Yes! You can make the herb butter a few days before and keep it chilled until ready to use.

Can dried herbs be used instead of fresh parsley?

You can - use 1 tsp dried parsley in place of the 2 tsp fresh. Fresh parsley does give a nicer flavour, but dried works in a pinch.

A roasted chicken with sliced breast is served on a platter with lemon halves, next to dishes of green beans, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

Storage:

Leftover roast chicken will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The gravy can be stored separately in a jar or container and reheated on the stove or in the microwave. Leftovers can be used for sandwiches, wraps, or toss through pasta with a little of the gravy for a quick second meal.

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Lemon Garlic Butter Roast Chicken

Yield: Serves 4-6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

A tender and juicy Lemon Garlic Butter Roast Chicken served with homemade gravy. Add potatoes and greens for a complete meal.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken
75g butter
1 large lemon (1 Tbsp zest)
2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed (1 Tbsp)
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt

Gravy

1 cup chicken stock
2 Tbsp cornflour
2 tsp Honey/sugar (optional)

To serve

Mashed potatoes and greens

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
In a small bowl, soften the butter. Add lemon zest, parsley, garlic, black pepper, and salt. Mix well to create the flavoured butter.
Using your hands, carefully stuff the butter under the skin of the chicken, spreading it over the breast and legs. Melt a bit of remaining butter and brush it over the outside of the chicken skin.
Cut the zested lemon in half and place it inside the cavity of the chicken.
Bake in a roasting dish for 25–30 minutes per 500g of chicken. Check before baking and calculate your total time based on the chicken’s weight.
After roasting, check the chicken is fully cooked, juices should run clear. Remove from the roasting dish, cover (with tinfoil or lid) and rest.
To make the gravy, pour 1 cup of chicken stock into the roasting dish. Scrape up all the golden bits stuck to the bottom for maximum flavour. Avoid any very burnt bits as these can make your gravy bitter.
Squeeze the roasted lemon halves from the chicken into the pan, then strain everything into a small saucepan. Bring to the boil.
Mix cornflour with a little cold water to make a slurry, then pour into the saucepan and stir until thickened. Add a drizzle of honey or a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity, if desired.
Serve the roast chicken with the lemony gravy, mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables.

Notes

Be gentle when loosening the skin. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to avoid tearing it.
Let the chicken rest after roasting to keep it juicy and allow the flavours to settle. Don’t skip the lemon in the cavity - it adds beautiful fragrance and subtle citrus flavour to the meat and gravy.
When making the gravy, scrape up the golden, caramelised bits for flavour. However, avoid any burnt or overly dark patches stuck to the pan as they can make the gravy taste bitter.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 410Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 535mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 30g

Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.

Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya