Roast Chicken with Rosemary, Lemon, and Honey

A succulent roasted chicken dish infused with fresh rosemary, bright lemon, and sweet honey. Two whole chickens are roasted with aromatic shallots and finished with a golden, crispy skin.

8 servings
1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces rosemary sprigs
  • 2 whole chickens
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 whole lemons
  • 1 pound shallots
  • to taste Kosher salt and black pepper

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large roasting pan with 3/4 of rosemary sprigs. Place chickens on top.

    10 min

  2. 2.

    Whisk 1/2 cup oil, lemon juice, and honey in a small bowl to blend. Using your hands and beginning at the neck end of chicken, gently lift skin away from breast. Under skin of each chicken, rub 1/4 cup lemon mixture into meat. Drizzle remaining lemon mixture all over outside of chickens.

    10 min

  3. 3.

    Place 1 lemon half and 1 shallot inside each chicken cavity; stuff with remaining rosemary sprigs, dividing equally. Season chickens all over with salt and pepper. Place remaining shallots around chickens; arrange 4 lemon rounds on top of each chicken. Drizzle shallots and lemon rounds with remaining 2 tablespoons oil.

    10 min

  4. 4.

    Roast chickens, basting frequently with pan juices, for 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425°F and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F and skin is deep golden and crispy, about 10 minutes longer.

    55 min

  5. 5.

    Spoon pan juices over chickens, shallots, and lemon slices and serve in roasting pan.

    5 min

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