Lemon Pepper Roast Chicken with Lemon Garlic Pan Sauce
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Lemon pepper roast chicken in about an hour. Made with homemade lemon pepper seasoning. A great Sunday supper recipe!
Lemon pepper roast chicken is perfect for Sunday supper but seriously an unassumingly easy recipe to make during the week. It required a little more effort than say a pasta dish, but less time than most roasted chicken recipes. About an hour and 15 minutes from start to finish. I make a pan sauce which is optional that could save on time. But trust me, it’s worth the extra minutes.
What makes this recipe faster than most roasted chicken recipes is the way in which the bird is cut. Spatchcock or butterfly chicken cooks faster and more evenly because it’s laid out flat with just the top and bottom. Check out my tutorial—How to Cut a Whole Chicken.
Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Homemade lemon pepper seasoning is easy to make and far batter than store brought. Traditionally the lemon zest is dried but I’m using it fresh in this recipe. To remove the zest, you can use either a microplane or vegetable peeler. If using a peeler, be very careful to only remove the skin avoiding as much of the rind as possible. Grind the spices with rind to make the most incredibly aromatic lemon pepper seasoning ever.
Lemon Garlic Butter Pan Sauce
Pan drippings make the best sauces. And of course the pan dripping from this bird taste like lemon. What do you get when you add butter and garlic to the lemony pan drippings? Deliciousness is what you get. This sauce is ridiculously delicious. It is optional but you should definitely make it.
How to Roast Lemon Pepper Chicken with Lemon Garlic Pan Sauce
Start by slicing and zesting the lemons. Add all of the spices along with the lemon zest to a grinder or food processor.
Next, butterflying the chicken. Rinse and pat it dry. Lay the chicken in roasting pan of cast iron skillet skin side up. Coat with oil and all of the seasoning. Place the sliced lemon underneath the bird. Roast for 45-50 minutes in 450 degree preheated oven. Once the chicken if done, allow it to rest for 10 minutes before cutting it.
Pan-Sauce
The sauce requires at least 1 cup up to 1 1/4 cups of liquid. You will have about 1/2 – 3/4 cup of liquid from around the bird after draining and separating the fat. If there is more, great. If not, you will need to increase the amount of water to 1/2 cup.
Add to a small pot or pan the butter and garlic over medium-low heat until fragrant. Next, whisk in the flour to make a roux. Whisk in the water and the pan liquid. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes and turn off the heat. Serve hot with the chicken.
Lemon Pepper Roast Chicken with Lemon Garlic Pan Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 lb whole chicken butterflied/spatchcocked
- 2 large lemons zest removed and sliced
- 1/4 c canola or olive oil
- 1/4-1/2 c water see notes in post
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp cracked black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp minced dried onion
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse and thoroughly dry the spatchcocked chicken with paper towels. Grind the lemon zest and dry spices in food processor.
- Place the chicken in a pan and coat with oil, followed by the spice blend. Put the lemon slices under the bird. Roast uncovered for 45-50 minutes. Temperate should read 165 degrees when done.
Pan Sauce
- To make the pan sauce, drain the juices from around the chicken into a cup using a baster. Skim as much fat off as possible; set aside.
- In a small pot or pan add the butter and garlic over medium-low heat until fragrant. Next, whisk in the flour to make a roux and cook for about one minute. Whisk in the water and the pan liquid. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes and turn off the heat. Serve hot with the chicken.
Hi
How to store homemade lemon pepper seasoning and how long does it last.
Hi Jackie. You would need to dry the seasoning mix before storing it. To do so: preheat the oven to 170 degrees. Grins as directed then spread the spice mix on a baking sheet. Allow it to bake for 12 minutes; toss it around then let it cook for 5 minutes more. It should be completely dry but not burned. If done properly it will keep for years on a cool shelf in an airtight container. I hope this helps.
Wow this chicken looks so delicious. I absolutely love the flavor of lemon and wonder how it taste on whole baked chicken. That’s why I must give this recipe a try soon. Can’t wait.
I absolutely love roasted chicken! This recipe looks wonderful, the chicken is cooked perfectly and the lemon and spices are the perfect complements. I can’t wait to make this for my family!
Roast chicken is so perfect for a Sunday roast dinner, this looks so flavorsome but simple at the same time. Thanks for sharing this – will be making soon!
We loved this Lemon Chicken, it was so easy to prepare . Perfect for sunday dinner but easy enough I will make this anytime . The garlic sauce was AMAZING!! Thank you for your easy step by step photos.
This recipe has everything going for it and for me! haha. It looks pretty effortless, without sacrificing any flavor AND it looks family-friendly! Best kind of recipe!!!
I was drawn to this recipe because the photos looked so beautiful, and it turns out, the food doesnt just look amazing, it tasted amazing too. Thanks for the recipe!! No one can ever have too many great chicken recipes 🙂
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I love chicken with a lemon flavor. This lemon pepper roast chicken will be a favorite at our house.
Simple and delicious, those are some of my favorite recipes. This roasted lemon chicken is the perfect simple & delicious meal my whole family will love.
This is so delicious and flavorful. Presentation awesome. I am drooling.
Thank you, Veena! It’s a truly delicious dish.
Looks delicious! Love that you shared how to make your own lemon pepper seasoning. I will definitely be giving this recipe a try soon!
Thank you, lady! Come back through and let me know how it turned out.