Roasted half chicken is an easy midweek meal that comes together in minutes. This juicy chicken with rosemary and lemon will make for a tasty and healthy meal.
I am always a fan of a meal that you can make all on one baking pan. Likewise, this crispy roasted half chicken is perfect for any weekday meal as it is done in about an hour. Another bonus is for those that meal prep you have enough left over for additional meals or as part of a salad. When I meal prep I like to do two chickens at a time as they both fit on a sheet pan.
In this recipe
What is great about this recipe is its simple ingredients. Garlic powder, salt, pepper, lemon, thyme, and rosemary make this simple dish a great go to meal. You can pair this with some of your favorite veggies to roast at the same time. A few examples would be green beans, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, or sweet potatoes.
There is plenty of room on the sheet pan to add your favorite vegetables which will make this a quick one an meal and who doesn’t love that. The one thing that you will want to make sure is that if you use potatoes, sweet potatoes, or squash is to cut them into small even pieces so they cook within the same time frame.
Cutting a chicken in half.
When thinking about cutting a chicken in half you might hesitate just a little bit. Have no fear as it will be easier than you expect. You want a sharp knife and a pair of strong kitchen shears to get this done quickly.
Starting with the breast side down take the kitchen shears and cut on either side of the backbone. Then continue down the entire length of the backbone. Repeat this with the other side of the backbone and remove it. Now with the inside of the chicken showing and the backside of the breastbone visible cut right through the middle.
Once that is done take the knife and remove any visible cartilage from the chicken and you are good to go. If you don’t have any kitchen shears use a knife to cut out the back bone.
Making a roasted half chicken
When roasting this chicken you will not want to cover the chicken. This will cause the steam to keep the skin from crisping. The fat from the oil under the direct heat will be what causes that wonderful crispy skin that makes this dish special. It is important to make sure that the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F or 74C before removing it from the oven.
Looking for additional chicken recipes?
Crispy Rosemary Roasted Half Chicken
Equipment
- Baking pan
- Kitchen shears
- Kitchen knife
Ingredients
- 5 lbs whole chicken
- 1 tbsp black pepper ground
- 2 tbsp rosemary fresh, chopped
- 1 tbsp thyme fresh
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- ½ tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F or Gas mark 4.
- Cut the chicken in half. See instructions in post. Lay them on the sheet pan close but not touching.
- Combine the salt, pepper, lemon zest, olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder. Spread evenly over the outside of the chicken and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken breast reaches 165°F or 74°C.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
I have one word” YUM!