Dinner Poultry Dishes Chicken Main Course Roast Chicken Lemon-Thyme Roast Chicken 5.0 (3) 3 Reviews This simple roast chicken recipe is flavored with lemon and thyme and has crispy skin with a deliciously toasty browned butter flavor. By Jamie McDaniel Updated on September 14, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Con Poulos Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Servings: 4 Yield: 1 whole chicken Jump to recipe Rubbing lemon-thyme butter under the skin and over the surface keeps the chicken moist while creating crisp, deeply browned skin.A quick pan sauce made with the chicken drippings, lemon juice, and butter adds a bright, rich finish to the carved bird.With just 15 minutes of active time, this roast chicken is an easy option for a flavorful homemade meal without much hands-on work. There are few things more satisfying than opening an oven and pulling out a bronzed, perfectly seasoned roast chicken. One of the best ways to get a crispy, golden exterior is to rub or baste it with butter. Here, a simple mixture of softened butter, thyme leaves, and lemon juice is spread underneath the skin and then rubbed all over the surface. The result is a moist, thoroughly seasoned bird with deeply browned skin. Once carved, the chicken is spooned with a delectable lemony pan sauce. How to Make a Perfect Roast Chicken Every Time Why butter works so well for roast chicken Butter helps brown the chicken in two delicious ways. First, once its water evaporates, the remaining fat conducts heat to the skin, making it crisp and golden. Additionally, the milk solids are deposited on the surface, where they darken, lending a toasty, caramel-like browned butter flavor to the bird. How to spread butter evenly under the skin First, create a space for the butter by carefully working an index finger underneath the skin. For the breast, start from the neck cavity. Insert your finger gradually, taking care not to puncture the skin, then sweep down the sides toward the wing joint and backbone. For the thighs, begin loosening the skin at the gap between the bottom of the breast and the thigh. To add the butter, scoop the mixture onto a teaspoon, insert it into the pockets you have created, then slide the butter off by pressing with your finger on the outside of the skin as you withdraw the spoon. Gently press the outside of the skin to distribute the butter evenly. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Pat the chicken thoroughly dry before applying the butter to help the skin brown and crisp in the oven.Be sure to let the chicken rest for 10 minutes after roasting so its juices can redistribute before carving.Skim the pan juices carefully, leaving one tablespoon of fat behind to give the lemony pan sauce richness. Suggested pairing Citrusy Sauvignon Blanc pairs nicely with this lemony chicken. Look for one from New Zealand. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided 1 1/2 tablespoons thyme leaves 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 (3 1/2-pound) whole chicken, patted dry 1 lemon, quartered Directions Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a small bowl, blend 4 tablespoons of the butter with the thyme and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Season the chicken cavity with salt and pepper and tuck the lemon inside. Spread one-third of the lemon-thyme butter under the skin of the breasts and thighs. Rub the remaining butter all over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Set the chicken breast side up in a large cast-iron skillet. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 160°F. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, skim off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan juices. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and cook over medium heat until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Season with salt and pepper. Carve the chicken and transfer to a platter. Spoon the pan sauce on top and serve. Originally appeared: August 2014 Cook this recipe and more in the MyRecipes app. Get the App Save Rate Print Loading shell for RecipesUgcThreaded1 Vue component in Globe.