Call me Ina Garten, I know my way around a good roast chicken, honey. And there's a checklist to that: the perfect balance of crispy skin and juicy meat, and, preferably, a good pan sauce out of the drippings, all done in just one pan.
Over time, this skill has turned into a repertoire of classic French-style roast chickens for special occasions, rustic one-pan spatchcocked chicken over potatoes, even my favorite holiday roast chicken for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
So when I saw this video on Instagram from Parm of their pan seared, oven roasted chicken half with a lemon garlic herb pan sauce, it looked too good not to it make myself, and what's more fun than being able to make restaurant dishes at home? Especially in this economy, chile...
It took a little tweaking to make it home-cook-friendly but I got it down! We're breaking down the chicken, we're seasoning, we're searing, we're pan-saucing. And that sauce is so good my son even asked for more of it, he's not even a sauce person!
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Parm Restaurant Inspired Roast Half Chicken
I'm usually great with a roast chicken, but this one took a few times to get perfect for me. Not that my family was mad, every test batch was devoured, but they weren't giving that Parm restaurant-style roasted chicken I was after.
Trying to balance Parm's techniques in the video and making it doable for home cooks was the hard part for me. The first time I did it exactly as the video, and the skin ended up soggy.
I should've used my brain and remembered chicken releases a lot of juice as it roasts, so that perfectly seared skin I worked hard for ended up super soggy. Of course I fixed that, and roasted skin side up for perfectly crispy skin but still...can't always follow a TikTok recipe, folks.
But I think the star is that lemon garlic pan sauce. So tasty and flavorful that it honestly is what makes this ordinary Sunday dinner chicken deserve the spotlight.
The end result is now a a go-to stress-free weeknight meal for me. It's really simple and straightforward, with great flavor!
Ingredients Needed
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- A whole chicken - you want to buy a broiler/fryer chicken around 3-5 pounds. A roaster, around 6-8 pounds, is just so large that it takes a while to cook and hard to sear.
- High Heat Oil - this is your avocado oils, the vegetable oils, because we're shallow-pan-frying this chicken skin. Don't use olive oil, it can burn and give a bad taste to your chicken.
- Lemons - you'll need the lemon cheeks and some lemon juice
- A lot of Garlic - the pan sauce is really garlicky, so if you're not a fan, use one or two cloves.
- Chicken Broth
- Fresh herbs - Parm uses parsley in their pan sauce, so I did, too, but I also have used other fresh herbs just fine.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
- Unsalted Butter - to finish the sauce.
Ingredient Swaps
- No parsley? You can use different herbs. A little rosemary or oregano, other fresh herbs...I've used thyme, though be careful: it pops in fat.
- Instead of adding the whole lemon cheeks into the sauce, use lemon zest in the sauce to add that flavor.
How to Cut Your Chicken in Half
Step 1
Remove the backbone
Use sharp kitchen shears to cut along one side of the backbone from tail to neck. Repeat on the other side. Pull the backbone out. Save it to make some good homemade chicken stock.
Step 2
Spatchcock (flatten) the bird
Flip the chicken breast-side up. Place your palm over the breast and press firmly until you hear a light crack and the chicken lies flat. If it fights you, slide the knife under that center cartilage to loosen it, then press again.
Step 3
Split + clean up the cut.
Position your sharp chef's knife on the center line between the breasts. Press through the breastbone and cartilage to split the chicken into two even halves. Remove any broken ribs or sharp, broken bones.
How to Make this Roasted Half Chicken Recipe
Step 1
Sear + roast the chicken.
Pat the chicken dry, season with kosher salt, and let it rest 30 minutes. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high, add oil, and sear skin-side down until golden, about 5 minutes. Flip skin-side up and roast at 375°F for 35-50 minutes, depending on the size, until the thigh reaches 165°F. Let rest before serving.
Step 3
Reduce the drippings and sauté the garlic.
After transferring the chicken to rest, pour off excess fat if needed, then set the skillet back over medium heat. Let the drippings reduce slightly and stir in the minced garlic, cooking until fragrant.
Step 4
Deglaze with stock.
Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by about half and looks slightly glossy.
Step 5
Add in the lemon.
Toss in the lemon cheeks (or wedges) and let them cook until softened and starting to caramelize around the edges.
Step 6
Finish the sauce.
Stir in the chopped parsley for a few seconds, then remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in a pat of butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to finish your lemon garlic herb pan sauce.
Step 6
Sauce + serve.
Spoon that sauce over the top of the chicken halves, sprinkle a little fresh parsley, and serve with roasted root vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a good salad.
Equipment I Used
Chef's Tips for Great Roasted Chicken
- Press the chicken halves down with a chef's press to really get the skin even and golden brown while it's searing. I use it all the time, it's such a great tool for an even sear.
- If the pan sauce starts looking syrupy, pull it off the heat. It thickens as it cools.
- You’ve probably heard this a million times, but resting is what makes the difference between juicy and dry. The juices redistribute through the meat as the internal temp drops. If you slice right away, all that juice ends up on your cutting board.
Troubleshooting
Yes! Just make sure they aren’t touching in the pan so the air can circulate evenly. If the halves of the chicken are just too big for the skillet, use a baking sheet or two pans instead. Add a few extra minutes to the cook time and check both halves for 165°F.
That happens when cold chicken hits a cold pan; the proteins tensed up. Bring the bird to room temp for 30 minutes before cooking and preheat your cast-iron skillet so the fat renders right away.
Pan sauces hate high heat! Warm it slowly over low heat and add in a pat of butter, whisking constantly until it comes back together.
The timing can vary depending on the size of the chicken so I always suggest to use an instant-read thermometer, we're looking for an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone. The juices should run clear, and the skin will look golden brown.
What I'm Serving with it
I love serving this with really creamy mashed potatoes, a seasonal salad, or something rustic like roasted sweet potatoes and root vegetables, green beans, or sautéed mushrooms.
Craving more cozy recipes? Sign up for the Sweet Tea & Thyme newsletter, save this recipe with the Pin button. If you whip it up, tag me (@sweet_tea_thyme on IG/@sweetteaandthyme on TikTok) and don’t forget to leave a star rating and note below, it helps more than you know, friend.
Roasted Half Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 12 inch cast iron pan
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 (3–4 lbs) whole chicken, cut into halves (see “How to Cut a Chicken in Half” section)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, or other neutral high heat oil
For the Pan Sauce
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 2 lemons, one cut into cheeks or wedges, one for juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
- A few sprigs of thyme or rosemary, optional
Instructions
- Pat the chicken halves completely dry with paper towels, then season them generously on both sides with kosher salt. Let the halves rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes for the best flavor and to prevent skin tearing.1 (3–4 lbs) whole chicken, 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- Towards the end of the chicken's rest time, preheat the oven to 375ºF and heat a 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the oil and once it gets shimmering hot, carefully place one chicken half skin-side down (if large) or both halves if they're small enough to fit without touching. Sear for 4-5 minutes without moving, until the skin is deeply golden brown and crisp.3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Carefully flip the chicken skin-side up using tongs and transfer the skillet to the hot oven. Roast for 35-45 minutes, depending on the size of your broiler chicken (a 5-7 pound roaster chicken will need 50 minutes to 1 hour), or until the internal temperature is 165ºF to 170ºF in the thickest part of the chicken thigh as read by an instant thermometer.
- Transfer the chicken from the pan to a cutting board or platter and let rest while you make the pan sauce.
Making the Lemon Garlic Pan Sauce
- Carefully set the skillet back onto the stove top over medium heat. If there's a lot of fat, skim or pour off all but about ¼ cup.
- Let the pan drippings simmer, reducing slightly, then stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, for about a minute.6 cloves garlic
- Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Simmer until the sauce reduces by half and looks a little glossy.1 cup chicken stock or broth
- Toss in the lemon cheeks and let them cook until softened and slumped, then remove them from the sauce.2 lemons
- Stir in the chopped parsley for a few seconds, then remove the pan from heat. Whisk in the butter and a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and season as needed.2 tablespoons fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Spoon the warm pan sauce over the rested chicken halves, garnish with extra herbs if using, and serve with potatoes, salad, or other delicious sides!A few sprigs of thyme or rosemary
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