Make this delicious Greek roasted chicken, a whole lemony chicken baked on a bed of tender potatoes and carrots.
Amazing Greek roasted chicken flavored with lemon and garlic served with tender potatoes is a one-pan meal that is easier to make than you might think. The chicken is juicy on the inside and has delicious, crispy skin.
My family just loves it, whether it's a simple whole roasted chicken with vegetables and potatoes on the side, a flavorful orange whole chicken, or something more special and seasonal, like a chicken roasted over apples, for instance.
With a minimum amount of work and one pan, you can have a really special lunch or dinner on a lazy Sunday or any other day of the week. You only have to consider that this particular Greek chicken needs some time to marinate, about 2-3 hours.
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Recipe ingredients
One whole chicken weighing about 3 lbs/1.4 kg.
Vegetables: Potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic.
Spices: Rosemary and oregano. If you have Greek oregano, that's even better! To make this really typical Greek, use a marinade of olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice. Try this Greek Lamb Stifado, too.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Greek roasted chicken?
- Mix the marinade ingredients and rub the bird all over, including the cavity. Cover with cling film and let marinate for 2-3 hours. Bring to room temperature before roasting.
- Peel the potatoes into large chunks. Peel the carrots and cut them into sticks. Cut the onions into wedges. Place them into the roasting pan, pour over the olive oil, and add some more dried herbs.
- Add salt and pepper, and mix well with your hands to coat the veggies with the oil and spices. Pour in the stock.
- Stuff the squeezed lemon halves into the bird. I prefer organic, unwaxed lemons for baking chicken, using the juice for the marinade and the halves for stuffing.
- Tie the poultry legs together.
- Place it on top of the vegetables and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165ยฐF/ 73ยฐC.
- Let rest for about 15 minutes before carving.
Good to know!
Don't wash the chicken before cooking; it won't remove bacteria and can spread it to your sink and surfaces. Cooking to an internal temperature of at least 73ยฐC/165ยฐF is the only way to ensure bacteria are destroyed. The USDA advises against washing raw poultry, warning that it can cause cross-contamination, as rinsing or soaking does not kill bacteriaโonly proper cooking does.
If you have a kitchen thermometer (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab), check the temperature by inserting the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. If you don't have a thermometer, pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer; the juices should run clear.
- If the baked Greek chicken is not ready yet, return it to the oven and check again after about 5 more minutes. Repeat until the juices run clear or the internal temperature is reached.
What to do with leftovers?
Reserve the carcass of the baked Greek chicken to make stock, like the one we make for semolina dumpling soup.
And if you have some leftover meat, here are some ideas: Turkey Fricassee with Leftover Turkey, Romanian Boeuf Salad, or Buckwheat Soup
Inspiration: A Bird in the Hand by Diana Henry (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
Greek Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 chicken of about 3 lbs/ 1.4 kg
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons rosemary divided
- 1 lemon preferably organic and unwaxed
- 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 lbs potatoes 1 kg
- 10.5 oz carrots 300 g
- 1 large onion
- 1 โ cup chicken stock 300 ml, hot
- fine sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
Marinate the chicken:
- Make marinade: Grate the garlic cloves and place them into a small bowl. Add oregano and ยฝ of the rosemary. Add the lemon juice (reserve the juiced lemon halves for stuffing the chicken). Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir well.5 garlic cloves + 1 tablespoon oregano + 1 teaspoon rosemary + 1 lemon + 3 tablespoon olive oil + fine sea salt and black pepper
- Marinate: Pat the chicken dry with kitchen towels (Note 1). Rub very well with the marinade, outside and inside as well. Cover with cling film and marinate for 2-3 hours in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before placing it in the oven, about 30 minutes.1 chicken
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF/ 180ยฐC.
Roasting:
- Prepare vegetables: Peel and cut the potatoes into large chunks. Peel and cut the carrots into sticks. Peel and cut the onion into wedges. Place them all into a large roasting pan. Pour the remaining olive oil (2 tablespoons) on top, add the remaining rosemary (1 teaspoon), fine sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well with your hands so that the vegetables are evenly coated with the oil and spices.2 lbs potatoes/ 1 kg + 10.5 oz carrots/ 300 g + 1 large onion
- Heat the chicken stock in a small pan and pour it into the roasting pan. Pour it carefully in one corner of the pan so that the spices covering the vegetables are not washed away. Shake the pan gently to distribute the stock all over the pan.1 โ cup chicken stock/ 300 ml
- Tie chicken: Place the squeezed lemon halves into the chicken's cavity. Tie the legs of the chicken and place the chicken on top of the veggies.
- Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165ยฐF/ 73ยฐC.
- Check: If you have a kitchen thermometer, check the temperature by inserting the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. If you don't have a thermometer, pierce the chicken with a skewer in the thickest part of the thigh, the juices should run clear.If the chicken is not ready yet, return it to the oven and check again after about 5 more minutes. Repeat until the juices run clear or the internal temperature is reached.
- Rest the chicken for about 15 minutes before carving (Note 2).
Notes
- Don't wash the chicken before cooking. Washing the bird in your sink will only cause this bacteria to contaminate your sink and other surfaces.
- Reserve the carcass of the chicken to make chicken stock. Check out Semolina Dumplings Soup for instructions on making stock.
EMS says
Great easy Sunday Dinner. Had it with buttered spring greens
Adina says
So happy to hear it! Thank you for the feedback.
Sissi says
Beautiful looking chicken! So simple but so delicious, I'm sure!
Nammi says
oh that chicken has got me craving for some roast!. looks yumm
angiesrecipes says
I love to make roasted chicken with lots of herbs and lemon too. This is a simple yet great meal to enjoy with the family.