Preserved Lemon Roasted Chicken

Nothing beats a classic meal than roasted chicken. This preserved lemon roasted chicken is particularly special because of the preserved lemon, fresh herbs, and incredibly delicious roasted vegetables.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Whole chicken: Although this recipe uses a whole chicken, you can use bone-in, skin-on chicken instead or spatchcock the chicken. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Herbs: We're using a combination of thyme and rosemary to add fresh herbs, but you can use any other combination, including oregano, sage, or parsley.
• Butter: By combining all of the aromatics with the butter, we're able to not only season the chicken but also add a fat element, making sure the chicken stays juicy.
• Preserved lemon: A traditional condiment in Middle Eastern cuisines in which lemons are pickled in a mixture of salt and their juices. Preserved lemons have a complex, tangy taste, while the bitterness of the lemon peel is mellowed.
• Yukon potatoes: For a creamy potato, use Yukon potatoes, white potatoes, or red potatoes.
• Carrots: The root vegetable pairs well with the chicken and potatoes while cooking in the allotted time.

Substitutions and variations

• Vegetables: You can replace carrots with another root vegetable, such as parsnips or sweet potatoes.
• Spicy: If you want a spicy kick, consider adding chopped jalapenos to the seasoned butter.

Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Preserved Lemon Roasted Chicken

Total Time2 hours hrs

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 6

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken 4-5#
• 6 tablespoons butter softened at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
• 10 garlic cloves
• ½ preserved lemon
• zest of 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 lemon halved
• 6 medium Yukon potatoes quartered
• 6 medium carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion quartered
• 5 sprigs rosemary
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ cup chicken broth

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Combine butter, thyme, rosemary, garlic, preserved lemon, lemon zest, black pepper, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until well combined.
• Loosen chicken skin and spread some of the butter mixture under the skin on the breast and legs. Spread remaining butter on top of skin on the breast and legs. Season chicken cavity with salt and pepper and stuff with halved lemon. Tie legs together with kitchen twine.
• Place cut potatoes, carrots, onion, and rosemary in a 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle oil and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Pour chicken broth on top.
• Place a rack on top of the vegetables and place chicken on top of rack. Roast chicken for 95 minutes or until internal temperature registers 165 degrees F. Remove from oven and let rest 10-15 minutes. Slice chicken and serve.

Notes

The seasoned butter can be prepared the day before. Let the butter come to room temperature before applying it to the chicken.

You can find preserved lemons in most major supermarkets, in the jarred vegetable section.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make the seasoned butter

The butter is where all the flavor comes from, so you can't skip it. In a food processor, combine softened room temperature with half of a preserved lemon, lemon zest, herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Preserved lemons are lemons that have been preserved in salt. Unfortunately, you can't replace preserved lemons with regular lemons. Preserved lemons have an intense lemon flavor with an umami flavor that regular lemons don't provide.

If you can't find any at a market, you can make them yourself. In fact, you can even make a quick version, and it'll suffice for this recipe.

Step 2: Prepare the chicken

Loosen the skin under the chicken and spread about half of the butter underneath. Then, use the remaining butter to spread it directly on top of the chicken.

You want the chicken to absorb all those flavors, so it's important to spread it under and over the skin.

Keep the lemon that you used for the lemon zest and cut it in half. Stuff the chicken cavity with the lemon halves and tie the legs together to keep them enclosed.

Make sure you season the cavity with salt and pepper to better infuse the meat with flavor.

Step 3: Roast the chicken

Next, prepare the vegetables. You can use a different mixture of root vegetables, but I went with the classic carrots and potatoes. Parsnips, squash, and celery root would all be great choices as well.

Cut the vegetables fairly large since they're going to be roasting for at least 1 hour and 30 minutes. If they're too small, they will end up burning. Some pieces may inevitably burn, but a little char didn't hurt anyone, right?

Season the vegetables with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and toss them with olive oil. Pour a bit of chicken stock into the pan, then place a rack on top. Arrange the chicken on top and roast for about 95 minutes or until an internal temperature registers 165 degrees F.

It's important to let the preserved lemon roasted chicken rest for at least 10 minutes. This resting time allows the chicken juices to permeate and help it become even juicier.

For an extra hint of lemon, take the lemon halves out of the chicken and squeeze them over the roasted vegetables.

This preserved lemon roasted lemon seems basic, but wow, is it delicious. All that delicious butter drips down onto the vegetables, making them extra flavorful as well. Now, this is my idea of a perfect homemade dinner!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: The seasoned butter can be prepared the day before. Let the butter come to room temperature before applying it to the chicken.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 3 days.

Frequently asked questions

More roasted chicken recipes

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