Whole Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken

A roasted chicken in a cast iron skillet with lemons.

Whole Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken

The family will love this easy Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken. The zesty, tart, and peppery lemon flavor combined with tender, juicy meat makes it an absolute hit. This simple recipe is perfect for learning how to cook a whole chicken perfectly.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 465kcal

Author Jere' Cassidy

Equipment

1 10 inch cast iron skillet

Ingredients

5 pound whole chicken
1 lemon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ teaspoons garlic minced
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425℉ degrees F. Lightly grease a large cast iron skillet and set aside.
Remove and discard the bag of innards from the chicken cavity. Drain any liquid from the chicken and use paper towels to soak up excess moisture on the skin.
Place the chicken in the prepared cast iron skillet.
In a small bowl, add lemon zest, lemon juice, melted butter and minced garlic. Stir to combine. Brush half of the mixture over all exposed areas of the chicken.
Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon each of lemon pepper seasoning and salt. Then sprinkle with one teaspoon of freshly chopped thyme.
Place the chicken in the oven to roast for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and brush on the remaining lemon butter mixture. Add ½ teaspoon of lemon pepper seasoning and salt to the chicken.
Place the chicken back in the oven to bake for 25-35 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165℉.
Garnish with the remaining teaspoon of freshly chopped thyme.
Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Spoon excess juices over chicken and serve warm with your favorite sides.

Notes

Notes:
- Bake time may vary depending on the size of the chicken used. Plan on 15 minutes per pound of chicken at the temperature listed.
- The drippings add a lot of additional flavor - don’t discard! To use, strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the solids and drizzle onto chicken, mashed potatoes, or make gravy.
- Any large oven-safe skillet or roasting pan may be used in place of a cast iron skillet.
- If the top of the chicken starts to brown too much, simply add a loose foil tent over the chicken and place it back in the oven until it is completely cooked through.

Nutrition