Try this delicious Honey Lemon Roasted Chicken recipe. The taste will instantly remind you of spring and early summer. The addition of fresh herbs placed under the skin and a hint of honey infused with the lemon is lovely. These ingredients bring a wonderful tangy,sweet flavor to the roasted chicken. This mian dish is excellent served with my Layered Summer Vegetables Tian and a simple salad using spring lettuces. Your home will smell wonderful while this chicken is roasting in the oven.
This delicious Roasted Chicken recipe, comments, and photos were shared with me by Karen Calanchini, Food Stylist and Photographer, of Redding, CA.
More great Poultry Recipes
- 1 whole chicken (weighing about 4 pounds)
- 1 lemon, cut into quarters
- Fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Assortment of fresh herbs such as sage leaves, thyme sprigs, and rosemary
- Coarse salt or sea salt and freshly-ground pepper
- 2 lemons cut in half
- Olive oil for drizzling over the chicken
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line roasting pan with non-stick aluminum foil.
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Mix together the lemon juice and honey. You may need to zap this in the microwave for about 10 seconds if your honey is not liquid enough. Set aside.
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Dry the chicken well with paper towels; remove any large blobs of fat that may be down near the tail. Sprinkle salt and pepper inside the chicken. Place three of the lemon wedges into the cavity of the chicken and the remainder wedge into the neck cavity. Place the chicken, breast side up, into the prepared roasting pan.
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With your fingers, carefully break the breast skin away from the chicken breast. I found it easy, if I first carefully used scissors to cut the center piece that holds the skin to the breast, which is located under the skin of the chicken.
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Using a pastry or silicon brush, dip it into the prepared lemon-honey mixture and brush all over the breast under the skin. Place three whole sage leaves neatly under the breast skin, and then place the skin back over the breast. Brush remaining lemon-honey mixture over the legs, thighs, and wings of the chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken and then sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Place rosemary sprigs around the chicken and place fresh lemon halves, cut side down, around the chicken (these will caramelize beautifully). Drizzle a little olive oil over chicken and herbs. This can be prepared ahead, refrigerated and roasted later in the day.
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Bake prepared chicken, uncovered, approximately 60 to 90 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. (juices will run clear when cut with the tip of a knife).
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Remove from oven, cover the roasted chicken lightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest about 15 minutes. Chicken will continue to cook during this time.
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Serve with the caramelized lemons and resulting juices.
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Makes 2 servings.
I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer. Originally designed for professional use, the Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world. I only endorse a few products, on my web site, that I like and use regularly.
You can learn more or buy yours at: Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer.
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