Main course

Lemon and Garlic Slow Roasted Chicken

Name: Lemon and Garlic Slow Roasted Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 large chicken weighing 2.3kg; 2 bulbs garlic; 2 large lemons; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 salt and pepper; 2 tablespoons sunflower oil

This recipe takes a whole chicken and slow-roasts it with plenty of lemon and garlic until the meat is falling-apart tender. You'll start it hot to get some color, then move it to a lower temperature for a long, gentle cook. The pan drippings, infused with garlic and lemon, make a simple sauce to pour over the stir-fried vegetables you'll serve alongside.

Recipes.zone

September 1, 2026

Back45 minServes 6Easy347 kcal

Cook mode

gluten free dairy free whole 30 ketogenic gluten-free

6 steps · 45 min total

Prepare Vegetables

Have 300g of finely shredded mushroom or Italian-style stir-fry vegetables ready. You can also use stir-fry vegetables of your own choice.

Set Up Aga Oven

For Aga ovens, set up a small roasting tin on the third set of runners in the roasting oven. You'll move it to the second set of runners in the simmering oven later.

Prep Chicken and Garlic

Trim the leg tips and wing tips from the chicken, removing any excess fat from the neck. (If you're planning to make a confit soon, save the chicken fat.) Season the chicken generously, both inside and out.

Separate the 2 bulbs of garlic into individual cloves; there's no need to peel them.

Roast the Chicken

Place about two-thirds of the garlic cloves inside the chicken cavity, and scatter the remaining cloves in the bottom of the roasting tin. Set the chicken on top of the garlic cloves. Pare the zest from the 2 lemons, wrap it in plastic, and set aside for a garnish later. Rub the lemon juice into the chicken, inside and out, then rub the 1 tablespoon olive oil over the breast.

Roast the chicken quickly for 30 minutes. After this initial roast, transfer it to the simmering oven and cook for at least 4 hours. If you've cooked it for six hours or more, the joints will pull apart easily for serving. Otherwise, let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Heat Wok

While the chicken is resting, heat a wok or large frying pan for 5 minutes on the floor of the roasting oven.

Stir-Fry and Serve

Transfer the hot wok to the boiling plate and add the 2 tablespoons sunflower oil. Stir-fry the prepared vegetables in the oil for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender-crisp. You can serve the chicken on top of the vegetables, or mix it in if the meat has fallen off the bone.

A note on herbs: while lemon and tarragon is a classic pairing, the tarragon's specific notes tend to get lost in a long, slow roast. Lemon and garlic hold up better to the extended cooking time.

Lemon and Garlic Slow Roasted Chicken

Koulenje