Slow-Roasted Lemon Herb Chicken with Garlic Butter Sauce
Tender chicken slowly roasted with zesty lemon and fresh herbs, finished with a luscious garlic butter sauce that enhances every succulent bite. This Mediterranean-inspired Super Bowl recipe, ready in about 180 minutes, pairs whole chicken, lemon, fresh rosemary for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 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.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs whole chicken
- 1 large, halved lemon
- 2 tbsp, chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp, chopped fresh thyme
- 4 tbsp, softened unsalted butter
- 6 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp, freshly ground black pepper
The roasting pan we’d use for this → Best Roasting Pans for 2026: Racks, Handles & Sizes for the Holiday Bird
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 300°F. Pat dry 4 lbs whole chicken inside and out, then season generously with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
- Step 2: In a small bowl, combine 4 tbsp softened unsalted butter, 6 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, and 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme.
- Step 3: Gently loosen the skin from the chicken breast and thighs, then spread half of the garlic herb butter mixture under the skin, evenly distributing.
- Step 4: Stuff the cavity with 1 large halved lemon and drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil over the skin.
- Step 5: Place chicken breast side up on a roasting pan and roast slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear.
- Step 6: Halfway through roasting, baste chicken with pan juices and spread remaining garlic butter over the skin.
- Step 7: Let rest 15 minutes before carving, spooning garlic butter sauce from the pan over the sliced chicken for rich flavor.








