Roast Chicken with Garlic and Lemon
Straight from the oven
Note: This was first posted in Dec 2008, now updated with new photos and improved recipe.
With Christmas around the corner, it’s the time of the year to cook more hearty meals like a whole roast chicken. We were extremely satisfied with the end result of this particular roast chicken, I think largely due to the butter mixture which was stuffed underneath the chicken skin. For those who have not roasted a chicken before, you have to totally try it out this holiday season. Roasts like this is relatively fuss-free because the oven is doing 90% of the work, leaving the cook time to sit back and unwind this holiday season. A whole roasted chicken like this makes great party food for all occasions.
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Roast Chicken with Garlic, Lemon & Thyme
The reason why we have been roasting a chicken instead of a traditional turkey these few years – (1) my standalone oven is too small to fit in a whole turkey, (2) we are feeding only 2 persons, (3) chicken is much cheaper than turkey, (4) chicken meat usually tastes juicier and less dry than turkey, at least to me. If you are a fan of roast chicken too, do check out the other roast chicken recipes.
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{ 51 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow… you had a really perfect x’mas eve dinner..
Can see that Neko and Nihlus were enjoying on x’mas eve too :) Both of them are adorable.
Happy Holidays to you,your family and also Neko plus Nihlus!
Wow, Nihlus knows how to wipe his mouth with a tissue! :!:
Neko chan is really enjoying the chicken, just look at his gleam eyes! :lol: I also want a piece of roast chicken. :o
What a delicious & flavourful chicken that looks like…mmmmmmm. Wonderful, though I would have definitely chickened out too! Love your hampsters & their individual Christmas treats. The chopping sous chef should be immediately made indispensable; such nice help is hard to come by these days! He’s a good man, & yes chicken is certainly more moist than bland turkey. Wish you happy holidays indeed, & have a wonderful new year, filled with warmth, joy & hapiness! xoxo
Nice roast chicken! A friend got hold of a free turkey, so I scrapped the idea of roasting our own. But I would have roast chicken anytime, so much more tender than turkey.
Yours look really good with the herbs, potatoes and roasted veggies. Oh and who could resist the crispy skin. :D
Neko is still looking good. What a sumptuous feast he had. :-)
Oh this was so delightful to read! Your roast chicken looks scrumptious (Neko certainly thinks so hehe) and lovely photo arrangement.
Nihlus is adorable too and his fur looks soft and cuddly. :XO: Such cute ham hams!
I wish you a continued happy holiday season! (New Years is just around the corner…..wooo!)
What an excellent meal you had! And a great sous chef too!
Even Neko seemed like he was having a wonderful time.
Very cute table setting, Wiffy.
Merry christmas to you and to B, plus Neko. :)
Oh, merry, merry christmas to you, Neko, and Nihlus! I absolutely love roast chicken this way! Looks fantastic. :D
+Jessie
a.k.a. The Hungry Mouse
I see even hamsters get in on the festivities! lol
Look like you had a wonderful Christmas…health & happiness in 2009!
I love roast chicken. Perfect Xmas dinner indeed! My verification word is ‘BEER.” Perhaps you needed beer to add to your meal? :)
Your hamster is adorable! What cute festive photos :).
Your hamsters are sooo cute! Wish you happy holidays and a great year ahead! :)
Yummy, I love the combination of lemon, thyme and rosemary for my baked chicken too. Your little pets are so cute! Have a happy holidays and a wonderful new year ahead.
your herb chicken look really good!!must bake it one day! Happy holiday to you! oh what a cute hamster:P
They are the sweetest little things. I bet they were in heaven eating your delicious and very tasty chicken! Your chicken looks so wonderful and your skin perfect and crispy! YUM!!
Your photography is excellent, and your roasted chicken recipe is simple but very flavorful.
I notice that you tucked the feet of the chicken into the cavity. Most chickens in the US don\’t come with feet. (well, yeah, all chickens have feet but not by the time they get to the supermarket!) Without feet, would you have trussed the bird or just left it untrussed?
Those hamsters are adorable!
yummy roast chicken! looks so festive, I love the way you set your table :)
I predict your two darlings will make their way onto I Can Has Cheezburger. They’re naturals. :D (I want to tickle Neko’s tiny, little foot!)
Hope you are enjoying your holiday celebrations, Wiffy.
(On a separate note, I sent you an email earlier today.)
Nice roasted chicken dinner!
For added taste, consider placing some bacon over the chicken breast to prevent the latter from being overly dry ;)
I did something similar earlier this month but did not take any picture of it because it was already nightfall by the time everything’s done.
That chicken looks so moist and tasty. Makes me want to roast a chicken! Love the hamsters! What a feast they had on Christmas! :D
Happy New Year!
Neko is so cute! I’ve always wanted a pet hamster :)
That chicken looks so yummy. I usually prefer chicken over turkey as well, but Christmas is always the one time of the year we always have turkey at the table.
Your hamsters are so lucky! They’re very cute, too.
Wait, was the chicken alive or something? I’d be a bit queasy too if I had to chop off a chicken head, alive or not.
World’s luckiest hamsters!
Great efforts to make such a wonderful x’mas meal! Even down to the details of table setting. Wow!
Thank you everyone for your kind words and seasonal greetings!
Nate: I dun think I will truss it .. coz I am not sure where to buy kitchen twine in Singapore, hah =P
pablo: Thanks for your bacon tip! :up:
Jude: Nooo it was a dead chicken :P we are too chicken to chop off a live chicken head heh
Beautiful chicken! But, those Christmas Sampler Platters are the cutest. =D
These are lovely…. I loved all the dishes and decor! Yum yum!
Thanks :halo:
Oh I did a similar sort of roast chicken too – its absolutely delicious and I love how you presented everything! :)
Beautiful looking chicken, Wiffy!
Hi Wiffy, I do the same too !! ie mix butter with gratednlemon rind n herbs and stuff them under skin of chicken… The herbed butter soaks into chicken meat, making it so tender n tasty … I’m going to roast chicken again this Christmas!
sounds like you will have a great feast this Christmas :)
Oh boy does this chick look delicious. nothing like lemon and garlic to make everything perfect.
Happy HoHo!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Great looking chicken!
I must agree with you on the juiciness of the meat! I prefer chicken too, so I will most probably go for chicken this year end ^_-
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!
Happy holidays!!! ^^
Hi Pipana, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones too … enjoy the year-end feasting (^_^)
I gave up roasting chicken as mine always end up dry and tough. Is there any way to make it juicy? Merry Xmas and enjoy the holidays!
have you tried this recipe before? I cooked this last weekend and my family commented that the chicken was juicy, even the breast part which is usually quite dry :p Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays ^^
I like lemon and garlic very much, thanks a lot.
Hi wiffy, may I know what oven you are using? Any recommendations?
I’m using a rowenta stand-alone oven. If you can afford the space for a bigger oven, it will be great. I heard that built-in ovens and helsio steam oven is good.
Ok, thks! I got limited space.. :( so considering a rowenta or tefal.
Personally, my Rowenta served me well for a few years already. Try to get the model with the fan-assisted mode (just a bit more expensive than the one without). Back then, it was made in France, not sure if it still is, but it definitely enticed me to get it considering many other brands made in China.
Thks for the advice! :):)
hi. i’ve tried using ur method but i let the oven turn the chicken itself.
anw half an hour later the chicken almost split into half haha.
but overall is ok. chicken meat gt the lemon smell. refreshing. hahaha
shall tried the glutinous rice till i gt hold of the oven.
thanks for the recipe :)
Hi Wiffy,
The lemon butter-parsley paste do I stuff it only under the breast part of the skin or must also stuff it under the thigh n drumstick part of the skin too?
only the breast.
Btw too Wiffy,
Is the parsley you used similar to the chinese parsley aka coriander/cilantro? Can I use the latter too?
Hi Jonelle, nope it’s the western type. either the curly-parsley or flat-leaft parsley. You can use coriander but the effect will be Chinese-style. Parsley is milder in my opinion.
May i know the point 2, this pasty is for wrapping the whole chicken?
When to apply?
Please advise
the paste prepared in step 2 is for stuffing under the chicken skin (step 4).