Lemon and Herb Butterfly Chicken — The Roast Worth Making Any Night of the Week

Name: Lemon and Herb Butterfly Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (1.5–1.8kg), butterflied; 2 lemons, thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp sea salt; 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp dried rosemary; Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to finish

May 25
3 min read

A whole butterflied chicken rubbed with garlic, paprika, thyme and rosemary, roasted over lemon until the skin is deeply golden. The weeknight roast that looks like a Sunday effort — on the table in under an hour.

By: HF kitchen

Butterflying a chicken is one of those techniques that sounds more involved than it is. One cut down the backbone — your butcher will do it if you ask — and the bird lies flat, roasts evenly, and is ready in half the time a whole chicken would take. The skin crisps across the entire surface. The legs and breast finish together. It is, for the effort it asks, one of the most reliable things you can put in the oven.

This version keeps it honest. A paste of garlic, olive oil, paprika, thyme and rosemary rubbed into every corner of the bird. Lemon slices are arranged across the top, catching heat and collapsing slowly into the skin as everything roasts. Fresh parsley at the end, because the colour earns its place.

It is a weeknight dinner that presents like a Sunday lunch. Carved at the table, it looks like considerably more than it is.

Lemon and Herb Butterfly Chicken recipe — The Roast Worth Making Any Night of the Week

A Few Notes Before You Begin

Ask your butcher to butterfly the chicken — most will do it at no charge, and it saves ten minutes at home. If you're doing it yourself, place the bird breast-side down and cut firmly along either side of the backbone with kitchen shears, then press the breastbone flat with the heel of your hand.

Let the chicken come to room temperature for 20 minutes before it goes into the oven. A cold bird straight from the fridge takes longer to cook, and the skin suffers for it. Rest it for at least 10 minutes after roasting before carving — the juices redistribute, and the meat stays moist all the way through.

Lemon and Herb Butterfly Chicken Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 whole chicken (about 3-4 pounds), butterflied
2 lemons, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a small bowl, mix the minced garlic, olive oil, salt, black pepper, paprika, thyme, and rosemary to create a paste.
Place the butterflied chicken on a baking sheet or roasting pan, skin side up.
Rub the spice paste all over the chicken, making sure to get it into all the nooks and crannies.
Arrange the lemon slices on top of the chicken, overlapping them slightly.
Transfer the chicken to the preheated oven and roast for about 45-55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C) and the juices run clear.
Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Carve the chicken into pieces and serve with your favourite side dishes.

You might also like: → Creamy Tarragon Chicken Recipe — A One-Pan Mother's Day Dinner.

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