Lemon Rosemary Chicken

Name: Lemon Rosemary Chicken
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 8 chicken thighs; 1 Lemon (juice and zest only); 4 sprig Fresh rosemary (finely chopped); 3 Garlic clove (crushed); 2 tbsp Olive oil; 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper

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Diet: Gluten Free / Low Carb

This Lemon Rosemary Chicken is an easy weeknight dinner that is as simple as mixing just a few fresh ingredients together in a roasting dish and putting it in the oven. and it's ready in under 35 minutes. Juicy chicken thighs, lemon juice, garlic and rosemary all roasted together and there are lots of ways to serve it.

A plate with Lemon Rosemary Chicken and vegetables next to lemon wedges and more vegetables.

Roasted chicken is always a family favourite, and luckily there are lots of different ways to do it so it never gets boring. This rosemary chicken recipe is one of our favourite ways to roast chicken, using fresh rosemary, lemon and garlic for a really flavour intense dish that makes great leftovers too. You can never have too many roast chicken recipes, right?

If you are looking for more rosemary recipes to try, then why not try our Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia, Lemon and Rosemary Salmon and Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes.

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Why you will love it
Ingredients needed
Step by step
Top tips
What to serve with Rosemary Chicken
Storage
Frequently asked questions
More chicken recipes
Recipe
Feedback

Why you will love it

A new and exciting way to serve chicken - If you love chicken, but are getting bored with having it the same way, then you need to try this rosemary chicken recipe. Lemon and fresh rosemary add so much amazing flavour.
Just a few ingredients - No fancy ingredients, just simple fresh ingredients.
Cooked in one pan - Less washing up is good with us!
Great for batch cooking and using leftovers in other meals - Make a big batch and then shred it up to add to sandwiches and pasta dishes.

Ingredients needed

Chicken - We used chicken thighs for this rosemary chicken, as they are really juicy and give the best flavour. However, if you wanted to make rosemary chicken breasts, then you could swap them for that. It would be leaner, but you wouldn't have as much flavour. We used skin on and bone in chicken thighs.
Lemon - This is heavy on the lemon and adds such a lovely fresh flavour. If you wanted a more intense lemon flavour, then add zest too.
Rosemary - Fresh rosemary is best when it comes to cooking with rosemary. This isn't cooked long enough to bring out the flavour of dried herbs.
Garlic - Garlic and rosemary are such a delicious flavour combination and this rosemary garlic chicken has a real burst of flavour thanks to the fresh garlic.
Oil - Use a good quality olive oil for the best flavour.
Salt and pepper - Generously season with a good sea salt and black pepper.

A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Step by step

One: In a bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, fresh rosemary and salt and pepper.

A small bowl containing and oil and herb dressing.

Two: Put the chicken thighs in a large bowl and add the lemon and rosemary mix and mix it all together to the chicken it covered.

A large mixing bowl containing chicken thighs and a herb dressing.

Three: Transfer the chicken to a large baking tray and add some more sprigs of rosemary and some lemon slices.

A roasting tin containing chicken thighs lemon slices and sprigs of rosemary.

Four: Put in a preheated over at 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Cooked chicken thighs in a roasting tin with lemon and rosemary.

Top tips

• Marinate your chicken with rosemary for at least 30 minutes for maximum flavour.
• If you want to add a little extra kick of flavour when serving it up, then add a sprinkle of red chilli flakes.
• You can cook this in the slow cooker instead. Brown the chicken first and then put everything in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.
• You can keep the leftover chicken in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• For a little extra flavour, add a squeeze of honey to the lemon and rosemary mixture. The sweetness is really nice.
• Want some richness to this baked rosemary chicken? Add a little bit of melted butter. SO good.
• Why not make this a complete meal by roasting potatoes and vegetables in the dish all at the same time. Make sure that everything has enough room in the baking dish.
• Cherry tomatoes and olives are a good addition to the baking tray. Roasting them really brings out the flavour.

What to serve with Rosemary Chicken

We served ours with our Best Creamy Mashed Potatoes and some roasted carrots and broccoli. But, as with any roast chicken, there are so many ways to serve it. You could serve it with spaghetti, rice or quinoa.

If it is carbs you are looking for, then try our Air Fryer Potato Wedges, Creamy Mashed Potato, Air Fryer Chips, Greek Potatoes, Oven Baked Hash Browns or Italian Parmesan Roasted Potatoes.

If it's something with crunch that you want as a side, then serve this rosemary roasted chicken with some Sweetcorn Salsa and Broccoli Slaw.

Give this dish a veggie boost by serving up some Baked Carrot Fries, Lemon Asparagus, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes or Cheesy Baked Broccoli Bites.

Four baked chicken thighs on a plate with lemon slices and sprigs of rosemary.

Storage

Store: Keep the chicken in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Shred the chicken first and then transfer it in to freezer bags and it will keep for up to 3 months.

Defrost: You can defrost it in an air tight container.

Reheat: You can reheat the shredded chicken in a frying pan with a little oil. Why not make a big batch of this roast chicken so that you have plenty of leftovers to use in meals throughout the week? When the chicken is still hot, shred it up and use it in sandwiches, or salads, in tacos and quesadillas or in your favourite pasta dishes.

Chicken and vegetables on a white plate. A long dish of carrots is in the background.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know when the chicken is cooked?

This dish cooks in the oven for around 30-35 minutes, but the exact cooking time will depend on your oven. The best way to ensure that it is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer. Chicken is cooked when it has an internal temperature of 75°C/167°F at the thickest part of the chicken thighs.

Can you make lemon rosemary chicken in the slow cooker?

Yes, this is a great dish to cook in the slow cooker. I would recommend browning the chicken in a pan for a couple of minutes each side first, just to lock in the flavour and get the skin nice and crispy. Then transfer everything in to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.

Fresh to dried rosemary ratio

We recommend using fresh rosemary for the best flavour. However, if you are going to use dried then use 1 teaspoon of dried for every tablespoon of fresh rosemary.

More chicken recipes

If you’ve tried this lemon chicken recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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