4 Ingredient Simple And Healthy Lemon & Thyme Roast Chicken

Some recipes don’t need a lot of tweaking to make them great – this is one of them. Just 4 ingredients is all you need to create this great roasted lemon chicken.

A roast is always a welcome meal for adults and kids. There’s something so comforting about the aroma of a chicken cooking in the oven.

Lots of the meals from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge are like this – a few basic ingredients, cooked simply, which the family will love.

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Beautifully Roasted Lemon Chicken

Votes: 3
Rating: 4.33
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Course

Main Dish

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 1 whole large chicken around 3-4kg
• 1 lemon try to find unwaxed if possible
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary (or use dried thyme, sage or mixed herbs)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Course Main Dish Servings people Ingredients 1 whole large chicken around 3-4kg 1 lemon try to find unwaxed if possible 4 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary (or use dried thyme, sage or mixed herbs) 2 tsp olive oil Salt and pepper

Votes: 3 Rating: 4.33 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 190C.
2. Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.
3. Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan.
4. Cut the lemon in half and place one half into the chicken cavity.
5. Squeeze the juice from the other half of the lemon into a bowl with the olive oil.
6. Brush the chicken with the oil mix so that it is well covered. Sprinkle over the thyme leaves and season to taste.
7. Bake the chicken uncovered for around 90 minutes, depending on the weight.
8. Baste the chicken 2-3 times during the cooking process.
9. Add the roast veggies when there is 60 minutes left. Turn occasionally.
10. When the bird is golden on top, pull the chicken out and check if it is cooked.
11. To do this, insert a sharp knife in between one of the legs and the body. The juices should run clear. If there is any pink in the juice, pop it back in to cook longer.
12. When it is done, wrap the chicken in foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Recipe Notes

Calories per 200g serve of chicken meat: 370.

Serve with loads of vegetables for a complete meal. Roast some sweet potato, zucchini, beetroot, carrot or pumpkin with the chicken. Serve some steamed green beans, snow peas or peas on the side.

Or, if the weather is warm, why not serve it with a crisp green salad filled with baby spinach, avocado, feta, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. You could even stuff it into a wrap for a healthy lunch using leftover chicken.

Many traditional dishes use butter but this one takes a lighter approach by using olive oil.

When it comes to choosing your chicken, always go for the best quality bird that you can afford, it really does make a difference.

For more healthy recipes like this roasted chicken (that are made for busy mums), why not join thousands of other women on our next 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge?