Description
This Dutch oven roast chicken with lemon and herb butter is simple, comforting, and full of flavour. With crispy skin, juicy meat, and a hint of garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs, it’s the perfect roast for a Sunday lunch or easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2kg fresh chicken
Lemon Herb Butter
- 80g butter
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
Chicken Cavity
- 1/2 lemon
- 3 sprigs parsley
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
Roasting Base
- 1 large onion, sliced horizontally into quarters
- 1 whole head of garlic, cut in half horizontally
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1/2 c white wine
- 1 c water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Prepare the Chicken by rinsing out the chicken cavity with a little water and patting the chicken dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, mix the butter, crushed garlic, sea salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and chopped herbs. With the chicken legs pointed towards you, gently place your fingers under the chicken breast skin and loosen the skin from the breasts. Take 1/2 of your butter mixture and push it under the skin. Then use 1/4 of your butter and rub it all over the chicken skin. The remaining 1/4 of butter should be popped into the cavity of your bird.
- Stuff the cavity by inserting the halved lemon and a few sprigs of rosemary and parsley, along with a bay leaf, into the cavity of the chicken. This adds flavor from the inside out.
- Prepare the Roasting Base. Place the sliced onion, garlic bulb halves, with 1 sprig of rosemary and 1 sprig of fresh thyme on the base of your Dutch oven. Â Pour in the white wine and water. Place your chicken on top, breast side up. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Cover with the lid and roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, remove the lid and continue roasting for an additional 30 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. The internal temperature should reach 75°C (165°F) when measured at the thickest part of the thigh.
- Rest and Serve. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let the chicken rest for 10–15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring moist and flavorful meat.
Notes
- Be sure to let your chicken come to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking to ensure even cooking.
- This roast chicken was cooked in a 24cm enamel cast iron Dutch oven.
- Always let your meat rest! While the meat will continue cooking, resting allows the juices to redistribute, settle, and results in a much juicier bird.
- Please note all recipes on this website are in US measurements. Eg, 1 cup / 240ml, 1 tablespoon/15mls. Oven temperatures refer to a fan-forced oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 808
- Sugar: 0.8 g
- Sodium: 812.3 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.8 g
- Protein: 112.9 g
- Cholesterol: 407.8 mg