Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe in Cast Iron
Want a reliable chicken recipe that's simple yet spectacular? This is one we make on repeat - our cast iron lemon garlic chicken starts with a spatchcocked bird for even cooking, gets a golden sear, then roasts over fresh herbs, lemon, and garlic in white wine. While the chicken rests, those amazing pan drippings transform into a bright, buttery caper sauce that'll have you reaching for bread to soak up every drop.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 514kcal
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 5 lbs whole chicken
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Oil nuetral high heat oil like avocado oil
- Poultry herb blend Fresh sage, rosemary, thyme
- 2 whole lemons sliced in half
- 1 head Garlic top ¼ sliced off to expose the cloves of garlic
- 1 large Onion sliced into wedges
- 1/2 cup White wine
For the lemon garlic sauce
- Reserved garlic
- ¼ cup Butter
- 1 tsp Capers
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
Instructions
Prep the chicken
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Pat the chicken dry, as well as the cavity, with paper towels.
- Spatchcock the chicken by removing the backbone and laying the chicken flat.
- Season liberally with salt on both sides.
Sear the skin
- Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the oil to the skillet, and when the oil has preheated and in shimmering, place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down. Use a splatter guard to minimize mess.
- Allow the skin to brown for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from heat and carefully set the chicken aside.
Roast the chicken
- Add the lemon, garlic, and onion wedges to the pan and place the herbs underneath of where the chicken will sit in the center of the skillet.
- Add the white wine and nestle the chicken, skin side up, back into the pan.
- Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the chicken has reached 165 degrees F in the breasts and 170 degrees F in the legs, with a digital meat thermometer.
Rest and make the lemon garlic sauce
- Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and transfer the chicken to a platter.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the lemons, garlic, onion, and herbs from the skillet.
- Push the roasted garlic from the bulbs and smash with a knife.
- Place the skillet over medium heat and bring the reserved liquid to a boil for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 3 or 4 of the smashed roasted garlic cloves and the capers.
- Reduce the heat and gently stir in the butter to melt. The liquid will become thicker and opaque.
- Squeeze the remaining one teaspoon of lemon juice into the sauce and season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Slice and serve
- Slice the chicken into serving portions: two drums, two thighs, and two wings, and the breasts split and cut into four pieces.
- Serve the cooked chicken with the sauce spooned over top.
Notes
- This recipe works great for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, or chicken breasts, too. Grab whatever is cheapest at the market.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. Depending on the weight and size, check your chicken after 25 minutes in the oven and adjust the cooking time from there.
- If needed, thin out the sauce with a little chicken broth.
- This method works with so many flavor profiles. Feeling zesty, rub the chicken with a chili lime blend over cabbage and onions for a start to an epic latin inspired meal. Rub it with your favorite bbq blend and swap the wine for chicken broth. Try rice wine vinegar and soy over a Chinese 5 spice rubbed chicken. In other words, the base chicken in cast iron recipe is the perfect starter for so many quick and easy chicken dinner ideas.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 587mg | Potassium: 439mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 499IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg