The perfect addition to any family meal, this cast iron skillet lemon and herb roasted chicken is easy and delicious!
What's not to love about this super easy Cast Iron Roasted Lemon Herb Chicken? Absolutely nothing! From the ease of preparation to the wonderful aroma of fresh thyme herbs that are complimented beautifully with the hint of lemon, there's just so much to love about a crispy-skinned whole roasted chicken anyway!
If you are new to using a cast iron skillet to roast chicken in, you'll love it. It's the perfect size for a roaster and if you're accident prone like me, having an actual handle is a big plus!
Did I mention how easy this cast iron roasted lemon herb chicken is to make? I'm sure I did, but I have to say it again! As long as your chicken is completely thawed, the prep time will be just minutes and you will have your roasted chicken in under an hour.
The trick to cooking this, the easiest of roasted chicken methods, is to preheat your oven and cast iron skillet before placing your seasoned whole chicken in the skillet to roast. Other than that, all you need are a few ingredients (salt, pepper, olive oil, thyme, lemon)!
Last Updated: November 20th, 2019
Cast Iron Roasted Lemon Herb Chicken
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb whole chicken
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 lemon
- 1 Tbsp thyme (fresh, removed from stems)
- salt & pepper (fresh, course ground to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven and cast iron skillet, placed on the lower rack of your oven, to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
- While preheating, remove any excess fat from your chicken and place the gizzards, liver, heart aside. Trim the tail off, tuck the wings under the back, and tie up the back legs (if desired). *Also, I like to place half of my lemon in the body cavity of the chicken, so don't forget to do this first if you are going to tie the legs!
- Use the olive oil to rub the chicken skin all over the roasting surfaces, breast side up, then season generously with salt, pepper, and thyme.
- Place the chicken carefully into the center of your heated cast iron skillet with the breast facing upward and roast at high heat for 15 minutes. Then set the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and finish roasting for an additional 40 minutes, or until an inserted meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) in the meatier portions of the chicken (breast and thigh).
- Remove from the oven, squeeze the juice from one half of the lemon (assuming that you have placed the first half within the chicken cavity) over the roasted surfaces of the chicken. Tip the chicken to allow the body cavity to drain and the lemon to roll out.
- Allow your stunning cast iron roasted lemon herb chicken to rest for approximately 10 minutes before carving and serving.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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