Weeknight Roast Chicken with Garlic, Thyme, and Lemon (Plus Perfect Sides)

Just like my momma made...

I’ve probably roasted thousands of chickens over the years. Whole chickens, spatchcocked chickens, broken-down chickens—you name it, I’ve tried it. My favorite method, hands down (wings down?), is the skillet chicken you see here—but it takes at least an hour. Weeknights I usually need dinner on the table faster—but sometimes I still want that homey, comforting roast chicken vibe. That’s where this weeknight version comes in. Let’s roast some chicken parts…

In this roast chicken version I turn to the classic seasoning profile my mom used when I was growing up. To me this is real comfort food. All you need: fresh thyme, a head of garlic, a lemon, a bit of Dijon mustard, some onion, olive oil, salt, and pepper. That’s it. No fancy brines, no complicated techniques—just solid ingredients that do most of the work for you.

Why This Recipe Works for Weeknights

• No carving necessary – You can buy chicken parts to suit your family’s preferences or ask your butcher to cut a whole chicken into 8 pieces. They’re usually happy to do it, and it cooks much faster.

• One-pan meal – Toss broccolini and potatoes right onto the sheet pan, and boom—dinner’s done. Other veg options: baby carrots, brussles sprouts, broccoli or cauliflower florets….

• Built-in sauce – The concentrated garlicky, lemony pan juices are mixed with water after cooking to make a perfect sauce:

  

Let’s get into it!