Roasted Chicken with Lemon Herbs Feta (Printable)

Comforting roasted chicken with zesty lemon, herbs, and creamy feta served with buttery potatoes

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 whole chicken (3.3 lbs), patted dry
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 lemon, zested and quartered
04 - 4 garlic cloves, smashed
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
07 - 1 teaspoon salt
08 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ Potatoes

09 - 2.2 lbs small new potatoes, halved
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

→ Finishing

14 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill or parsley, chopped
16 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon zest, chopped oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper to create an herb paste.
03 - Rub the herb mixture all over the chicken, both inside and out. Stuff the cavity with lemon quarters and smashed garlic cloves.
04 - Place the chicken breast-side up in a large roasting pan. Scatter the halved potatoes around the chicken. Drizzle potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Toss gently to coat.
05 - Roast for 1 hour, basting the chicken and potatoes with pan juices once or twice during cooking. If potatoes brown too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
06 - Check the chicken for doneness using a meat thermometer; internal temperature should reach 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh. If needed, roast for an additional 10–15 minutes.
07 - Remove the pan from the oven. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving to retain juices.
08 - Sprinkle crumbled feta and fresh dill or parsley over the potatoes and chicken. Serve with extra lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The whole chicken roasts alongside the potatoes, so everything finishes at exactly the same moment—no juggling multiple pans or keeping things warm.
  • Feta and fresh herbs make it taste like you've been cooking for hours, even though it's genuinely simple enough for a weeknight.
  • That pan of golden, herby potatoes is honestly better than any side dish you could make separately.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting period—I learned this the hard way by carving too early and watching all the juices run onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
  • The pan juices are liquid gold; if you want a sauce, pour those drippings into a small saucepan and simmer for a minute or two, then drizzle over the finished dish.
03 -
  • The herbal paste should be thick enough to stick to the chicken; if it's too oily, your seasonings will just slide off during roasting.
  • Small new potatoes are worth seeking out for this dish because they stay firm and don't turn mushy, but fingerling or halved Yukon Golds will work if that's what you find.
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