This roast chicken is so juicy and so tasty…and I’m not just saying that because I came up with the recipe!

Normally, I’m actually not the greatest fan of roast chicken (crazy right?) because I usually find it a bit dry and boring. 

This is where the stuffing becomes the hero.

Stuffing helps keep the chicken moist and juicy while giving the chicken the most delicious flavour. Oh, and it’s also a delectable accompaniment to your meal after serving the first two purposes! What’s not to love?

Roast chicken is such a comfort meal that brings family together…and it’s made all the better when it’s mouthwateringly delish!

How to Make the Roast Chicken

Preparing the Lemon & Rosemary Stuffing

To make this tasty, juicy roast chicken you first have to prepare the stuffing. Don’t worry, this a quick stuffing that won’t take you longer than 10 minutes. Yes, it is worth it!

Simply mix the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl with a fork.

Next, you’ll heat up the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, then add the chopped onion and rosemary. When the onion is beginning to get soft and translucent, add the minced garlic. 

Add the brown bread crumbs and onion mixture to the egg mixture and mix well. Finally, add in the flour and stir until well incorporated.

That’s your tasty lemon and rosemary stuffing done!

Now, all that’s left to do is quickly prep the chicken and pop it into the oven.

Prepping the Roast Chicken

Place your chicken in the centre of a roasting tray.

Mix together the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, pepper, chicken spice, and salt in a small bowl. Pour this mixture over the chicken and rub it in using your hands. Make sure that you also coat the underside of the chicken.

Next, stuff the chicken. You want to stuff the stuffing into the large cavity, leaving a little room at the top of the stuffing for air to circulate.

If you have any leftover stuffing you can cook it alongside the chicken in an extra dish for about 30 minutes. If your chicken is stuffed to overflowing (like you’ll be after enjoying this yummy roast), you might need to tie the legs together with butchers twine. 

Place the chicken in the centre of the preheated oven. After about 30 minutes, turn the chicken over to brown the underside. Turn it around again after another 30 minutes.

Once the chicken is golden brown on top, it should be ready to come out. This will take about another 30 minutes. It is ready once you cut between the leg and thigh and the juices run clear.

Serving & Storing the Roast Chicken

Your chicken is now nearly ready to be devoured. I recommend covering it for a few minutes with tinfoil before serving to seal in the juices and moisture.

Before you can serve the chicken, you obviously have to carve it. Here’s a super quick video showing you how to carve a chicken if you have no idea:

Here are some ideas for things to serve with your roast chicken:

• Rice
• Roast/Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Vegetables
• Boiled Vegetables 
• Gravy
• Your lemon and rosemary stuffing!

Once the chicken is cooled, you can cover it with tinfoil, or put it in an airtight container and into the fridge for a few days. The leftover chicken is great for salads, chicken mayo sandwiches and wraps.

Print Recipe

Roast Chicken with Lemon & Rosemary Stuffing

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Dinner

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cooking Time: 1 hour 35 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

The tastiest, juiciest roast chicken that you will ever taste. It's easy to make and quite hands-off, perfect for a meal to impress guests. Easily scale it up to cater for more.

Ingredients

• Stuffing
• 1 egg
• 1T fresh lemon juice
• Zest of ½ a lemon
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• ½T olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 springs fresh rosemary, stalks removed and finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup fresh brown bread crumbs (I used a food processor and kept the crust on)
• 2T all-purpose flour
• Roast Chicken
• 1 whole medium chicken
• 1T fresh lemon juice
• Zest of ½ a lemon
• 2T olive oil
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1t chicken spice
• ½ tsp salt
• Extra rosemary (optional)

Instructions

Lemon & Rosemary Stuffing

1

Mix the egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl with a fork.

2

Heat up the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, then add the chopped onion and rosemary. Stir frequently. When the onion is beginning to get soft and translucent, add the minced garlic. Take the pan off the heat once the onion begins to brown along the edges. This should take about 5 minutes from start to finish.

3

Add the brown bread crumbs and onion mixture to the egg mixture and mix well.

4

Add in the flour and stir until well incorporated

Getting the Roast Chicken Ready

5

Preheat oven to 160°C.

6

Place your chicken in the centre of a roasting tray.

7

Mix together the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, pepper, chicken spice, and salt in a small bowl. Pour this mixture over the chicken and rub it in using your hands. Make sure that you also coat the underside of the chicken.

8

Fill the cavity of the chicken with the stuffing, making sure to leave a little room at the top of the stuffing for air to circulate. Any leftover stuffing can be cooked alongside the chicken in an extra dish for about 30 minutes. If your chicken is stuffed with a lot of stuffing, you might need to tie the legs together with butchers twine. Otherwise, it should be fine.

9

Place the chicken in the centre of the oven. After about 30 minutes, turn the chicken over to brown the underside. Turn it around again after another 30 minutes.

10

Once the chicken is golden brown on top, it should be ready to come out. This will take about another 30 minutes. It is ready once you cut between the leg and thigh and the juices run clear.

Serving

11

It is recommended to rest the chicken for a few minutes to seal in the juices and moisture. To do this cover it with tin foil and allow it to sit for a few minutes.

12

The chicken is now ready to be carved. See the video embedded above for help on this. The roast chicken can be served with roasted vegetables, roast potatoes, rice, gravy...and of course the stuffing!

Notes

Once the chicken is cooled, it can be covered with tinfoil, or be put in an airtight container and into the fridge for a few days. The leftover chicken is great for salads, chicken mayo sandwiches, and wraps.