Rosemary-Thyme Roast Chicken with Lemon

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-07 · Updated 2026-04-07

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 simple yet elegant roast chicken with rosemary, thyme, and lemon, featuring crispy skin and juicy meat perfect for entertaining. This French-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 90 minutes, pairs whole chicken, olive oil, lemon for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 4, 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: 75 min Serves 4 French cuisine 400 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 pounds whole chicken
2 tablespoons olive oil
1, halved lemon
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3, peeled garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat the whole chicken dry with paper towels, then rub 2 tablespoons olive oil all over the skin. Season inside and out with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Step 2: Stuff the cavity with 1 halved lemon, 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, 2 fresh thyme sprigs, and 3 peeled garlic cloves.
Step 3: Place the chicken breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F when measured in the thickest part of the thigh.
Step 4: Remove from oven, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with the roasted herbs and lemon wedges for squeezing over the meat.