General-Purpose Herb-Roasted Chicken

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-04 · Updated 2026-05-04

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

A versatile herb-roasted whole chicken seasoned with garlic and lemon, perfect for any occasion. This chicken recipe, ready in about 95 minutes, pairs whole chicken, olive oil, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 80 min Serves 6 International cuisine 450 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 lbs whole chicken
3 tbsp olive oil
5, minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp, chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp, chopped fresh thyme
1, halved lemon
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat dry the 4 lbs whole chicken with paper towels and place it breast-side up in a roasting pan.
Step 2: Rub 3 tbsp olive oil all over the chicken skin, then evenly sprinkle 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper over the surface.
Step 3: Stuff the chicken cavity with the 1 halved lemon and 1 tbsp each of chopped rosemary and thyme. Rub the remaining 1 tbsp rosemary and 1 tbsp thyme mixed with 5 minced garlic cloves evenly over the chicken skin.
Step 4: Roast the chicken in the oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the skin is golden brown and crisp.
Step 5: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving to keep it juicy and tender.