Lemon-Thyme Butterflied Roast Chicken
- 15m Prep Time
- 50m Cook Time
- 1h 5mReady In
A butterflied roast chicken seasoned with lemon and thyme, roasted over garlic and lemon slices for a flavorful one-pan meal.
Ingredients
- 2 heads garlic halved through equators
- 2 lemons 1 sliced and 1 cut into wedges, divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 0.5 bunch fresh thyme divided
- 1 3½- to 4-pound chicken backbone removed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 6 of 7 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 154 mg
- Iron: 1.91 mg
- Magnesium: 26.7 mg
- Phosphorus: 122 mg
- Potassium: 428 mg
- Zinc: 0.86 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Prepare
- 2 heads garlic, halved through equators
- 2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 cut into wedges, divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 0.5 bunch fresh thyme, divided
- 1 3½- to 4-pound chicken, backbone removed
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the halved garlic heads and sliced lemon with 1 tablespoon olive oil and half the fresh thyme. Arrange the garlic and lemon slices in the center of the sheet.
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Step 2.
Place the butterflied chicken on top of the garlic and lemon mixture. Rub the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season evenly with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Scatter the lemon wedges around the chicken on the baking sheet.
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Step 3.
Roast the chicken for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, scatter the remaining fresh thyme around the chicken on the baking sheet.
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Step 4.
Continue roasting until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes more. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F. Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before carving.