This creamy lemon and herb pot roasted chicken is simple to make, decadent, and bursting with fresh flavors. See how easy it is to make chicken in a Dutch oven! You will love this one pot meal.
The chicken is moist and juicy, and the potatoes melt in your mouth. The sauce is soo good... my tummy was super happy after eating this Dutch oven chicken!
If you don't want to add the little potatoes, you don't have to. I just figured it was a good way to turn this into a one pot meal 🙂
The chicken and sauce would be perfect with rice, mashed potatoes, steamed veggies (green beans!), a big salad, or anything really.
How to roast a whole chicken in a Dutch oven
Cooking this is a simple two-step process:
- The first 45 minutes are done with the chicken covered to get things going.
- The last 45 minutes of roasting cook the chicken to golden perfection, the cream sauce reduces and thickens, the little potatoes soften, and the herb flavor is intensified.
I made this Dutch oven whole chicken and potatoes recipe in the middle of summer, but it really is well suited for those cooler fall or winter days where you want something hot and comforting.
Leave it to me to cook stuff out of season, though. I'm like that.
This Dutch oven chicken and potatoes recipe is going to be on repeat in my house. It's that good.
It also makes excellent leftovers.
Will you make this Dutch oven chicken recipe?
Have you tried it? Let me know in the comments below!
Creamy Lemon and Herb Pot Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 lemon
- Salt & pepper
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- 5-6 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 (10 fluid ounce) can chicken broth or stock
- 1.5 pounds little potatoes
- 2 cups heavy/whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425F.
- Add the chicken to a Dutch oven or baking dish. Prick lemon with a knife in several places, and then insert lemon in the chicken's cavity. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Place rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves around the chicken. Cut butter into smaller slices and place it around the chicken. Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven. Cover and place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chop the oregano and tarragon and cut the little potatoes into halves.
- Add the little potatoes, cream, oregano, tarragon, and white wine. Place back into the oven and cook for another 45 minutes, uncovered.
- Before serving, remove the rosemary sprigs. Chop the parsley, and then sprinkle it on as you're ready to dish up.
Notes
- The chicken I used to make this was 4 pounds, so keep that in mind when you're following my directions. To ensure chicken is cooked properly, a meat thermometer should read 165F.
- Make sure your Dutch oven or baking dish is deep enough that there's at least an inch and a half from the top after you've added the potatoes in so that it doesn't bubble all over your oven. My Dutch oven has a 5.5 quart capacity. This is the Dutch oven I used to make this recipe and I highly recommend it.
You may also like my sheet pan roasted chicken and potatoes.
Michelle Ray says
I’m going to try it tonight. Thanks for the recipe. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Natasha says
Yes! Let me know. I hope you enjoy it.
Christy says
Oh my gosh! I don’t know the science behind what happened in that pot between the cream, the chicken juices and the potatoes after the cream went in, but something mystical went on in there! When I took the pot out of the oven it was cooking pretty hard, and I didn’t know what to expect. The potatoes were sublimely creamy, the chicken tender and delicious, but the sauce! Absolutely swoon-worthy! This could be the most delicious thing I have EVER made!
PS: I cut and squeezed the lemon around before I stuck it in the chicken, because I love lemon, and it added a subtle lemony note to the sauce, which I loved, but not everyone will want to do that, probably.
Natasha says
Aww I'm so happy that it worked out for you! Thanks for your nice review! 🙂
Anastasia says
So easy and amazing (comes from all the family members, even my 14 year old son, who never likes the chicken, whatever way we tried to roast it before)! It’s the third time I’m cooking with your recipes. All three times total success! Thank you!!!
Natasha says
That's wonderful! 🙂 I'm so glad your son likes it, especially. Thanks for taking time to write me a comment, Anastasia.
Dina says
Whole lemon? Always scared of this, i have tried it frw times and it make the dish bitter.
Suggestions?
Natasha says
Hi! I can’t really say without testing. I didn’t find it bitter. I always roast chickens with whole lemons. You could leave it out I suppose?
Jill Lemke says
I just made this recipe, my first time roasting a chicken, and my first time using my new Le Creuset dutch oven! Mine is only 3.5-qt, so I couldn’t put the potatoes on the same pot. No worries, I cooked them separately and put them back together at the end! So easy, and it impressed my family! Success! Thanks!
Natasha says
I'm so happy it worked out!! And enjoy your new Le Creuset... I love mine!
Alysonne Hatfield says
This is such an easy and delicious way to roast a whole chicken. I’ve made it twice, once I used half potatoes and half baby turnips, and more recently I used the prescribed amount of potatoes, and added some carrots for color and extra nutrition. Total knockouts both times, thanks!
Natasha says
I'm so happy to hear that!! 🙂 You're very welcome, Alysonne!
Pam Taylor says
I made this last evening and it was wonderful!! I followed your recipe , but I par-boiled the potatoes so they were creamy inside and crispy outside for the ones on top. My boyfriend said it was the best chicken he ever had - and he’s not easy to please!!
I will pass this on to my sisters and friends, as it is easy but incredibly good!!
And my dish looked just like your photo when I removed it from the oven. Thank you!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you guys enjoyed it!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing the recipe and taking the time to write a comment! 🙂
Caroline says
Could you adjust this recipe if only using only chicken breasts? I have picky eaters who are opposed to dark meat. If so, what would you suggest for the lemon use? Could you still add the whole lemon? Any changes to oven temp or cooking time? Thank you!!!!
Natasha says
Hmmm I really don't know, Caroline. It's tough for me to just guess because it is a recipe designed for a whole chicken. I would say cooking time would be less than with a whole chicken, but I wouldn't want to hazard a guess.
Nadya Efremov says
The cream curdled because the heat was too high and the sauce boiled. The recipe is excellent. Works every time. I am not a cream aficionado, so I substituted Trader Joe's whole milk yogurt. Like better than the cream--herby, tangy and creamy.
Lindsay says
Could you add brussel sprouts to this as well as the potatoes? And if so, at what point in the cooking would you say is best? Thanks!
Natasha says
Hi Lindsay. Hmmm I really don't know. I'm a little worried the whole thing would get a cabbagey flavor, to be honest.
Marisa says
I'm not kidding. This is literally the best roasted chicken! I crave this all the time! The best part is that it's incredibly easy to make!!
Natasha says
Haha awesome! I am so glad you enjoy it, Marisa!
Renee says
Will it work without white wine?
Natasha says
It should. You could try substituting the same amount of chicken broth. Hope you like the recipe!
Renee says
I ended up buying Marsala cooking wine. Will that work? If not, I will add more broth. Thanks for responding!
Natasha says
I think it would actually taste pretty good in this recipe. Let me know!
Kiki in the Kitchen says
What an easy yet very elegant way to prepare a whole chicken! Also a great way to keep it moist. This is the type of recipe I see Julia Child smiling down on😁
Natasha says
Aww thanks, Kiki!
Kathy says
I made this tonight for the second time and my adult picky son loved it! Just wondering if you have calorie info?
Natasha says
That's wonderful! So glad he loved it. I don't have calorie info, sorry. Honestly, especially on recipes like this, it really varies. Like depending on the size of the chicken and the exact ingredients you use and then whether you have white meat or dark meat, and so forth. I'm not a nutritionist, and the online calculators aren't super reliable, so that's why I don't provide nutritional info on most of my recipes... I really wouldn't want to mislead my readers.
Christy J says
This is my second time making this recipe and it was delicious!!!
I was wondering if I could make rice and add a can cream of mushroom instead of potatoes. If so, when should I add?
Natasha says
I’m so happy you liked it! I haven’t tested that so honestly I really don’t know if it would work/the timing, but you could definitely give it a try.
Sue says
Made this for dinner tonight with a side of asparagus and garlic bread. Turned out great, moist chicken and the sauce is amazing. Definitely making again!
Natasha says
Excellent! So happy it worked for you, Sue! 🙂
Katie says
Followed the recipe exactly but sauce totally curdled. What happened?
Natasha says
Hi Katie! I'm sorry to hear that. I wish I could figure out what happened, but I have no details and I wasn't in the kitchen with you. 🙁
Michelle says
This happened to me too 🙁
Natasha says
I'm sorry to hear that 🙁 Did you use heavy cream?
AJ says
Hi! Cooking this for dinner tonight and adding broccolini to the recipe. Any idea on when I should add the broccolini to the Dutch oven?
Natasha says
Hi! I’d do it with about 10-15 minutes to spare. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Olga houle says
Chicken was Wonderful!!!
Made it last Sunday & my husband says this
A Keeper. Directions were so easy to follow
Having again this Sunday- took photo & Sent to both my girls. House smelled so flavorful.
Chicken was so Moisture!!!
Thank You, Again for sharing.
Olga
Natasha says
Wonderful! So glad it was a hit! Thanks for letting me know.
Shannon says
I made this for a dinner party last night. Was a huge hit and really easy. Cooking time about 20 minutes longer for some reason but probably had to do with conversion to celsius and my oven. This will go on my list of regular go-tos. Thanks!!! Will definitely be checking out more of your recipes.
Natasha says
I'm so happy to hear that, Shannon! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Lisa says
Restaurant quality meal, delicious! Everything cooked to perfection. Thank you for this amazing recipe.e
Natasha says
I’m so happy you liked it! Thanks for letting me know. 💗
Lisa says
So happy to have discovered your blog! Mediterranean Quinoa is definitely next on the list!
Natasha says
Excellent!! Hope you like it too! 🙂
Christine Franklin says
Hello from a Brit in Kalkan, Turkey.
Chicken prepped and ready to go. The recipe looks delicious.
Natasha says
Hi! Thank you! Hope you love it!
IsabelC_NYC says
Made this last week and it was exceptional! I followed the recipe exactly - was generous with the spice rub. I also left it in about 10 min longer in Broil mode cause I wanted the delicious crispy skin. My husband absolutely loved this dish!
Natasha says
SO great to hear!! Thanks for letting me know, Isabel!
Joyce in Maine says
This was delicious and easy! I made with potatoes, just as you suggested , using little Yukon Golds we had in the cellar from our garden. A green salad and chewy bread completed the meal. Guests were impressed. This recipe is a keeper.
Thanks, Natasha!
Natasha says
That makes me so happy! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Erica says
We are dairy free due to lactose intolerance and tried purreed tofu as a substitute for heavy cream. The chicken was great, but the sauce wasn’t exactly right. I’m thinking about nixing the “cream” element all together next time. Would you suggest adding more chicken broth instead?
Natasha says
Hi Erica! Yes, that should keep the chicken nice and moist.
Chelsey says
Thank you so much for asking this question, was scrolling through the comments hoping to see if someone asked about dairy-free.
Titania says
I'm hoping to cook this tonight, it looks delish! One question: I bought a 3 lb chicken because I have smaller dutch oven (4.5 qt). How should I change the cooking time? Will it dry out if I cook it for as long as your recipe recommends?
Natasha says
Hi Titania! Thank you! I'd try taking 15 minutes off step 4 and use a meat thermometer to test for doneness. I don't think the chicken will dry out if you do the full cooking time, though, as there's so much moisture and quite a bit of fat in the pot already. Hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Amanda says
When you say prick the lemon a Few times....does that mean with or without the peel? I put the whole thing in there but am questioning myself now. Thank you !
Natasha says
I stabbed the lemon (with the peel on) a few times, then put the whole thing in there. Don't worry! 😉
Leandro Ramos says
Just made this on a Sunday! A side of green salad and cucumbers and white rice! Thanks for sharing!
Leo
Natasha says
That's great! Thanks for leaving a comment. 🙂
Brooke says
Made this tonight! Absolutely amazing! Everyone needs to try this! I'm a huge dutch oven fan, make many meals with it. This one moved to the top immediately! Even the man in the house loved it! Will be making it again!
Natasha says
I am so happy to hear that, Brooke!! 🙂
Kyndra says
Can iI use half and half?
Natasha says
Hi Kyndra, I haven't personally tried it, and I don't always like the results when I use half and half (I had a recipe fail yesterday, in fact, when I tried substituting half and half for heavy cream in a different recipe haha), so I would say proceed at your own risk. I really think heavy cream makes some recipes what they are, so I tend to save my calories in other places. 🙂
Andrea says
Can I ask how the half and half turned out? I only have that in the fridge right now 🙁
Christy J says
The half separates in this recipe. I suggest heavy cream. Natasha, can add rice into pot versus potatoes, with a can of cream of mushroom?
Midi says
I made this for the first time last month. My husband suggested I pass the recipe onto his mom,THAT was how good this was. I didn't have a large cast iron dutch overn,so I made do with my stainless andit was fine. But I just made this again, this time, in a huge cast iron dutch oven (non-enameled so i waited until the end to transfer the sauce to a stainless saucepan and added the wine...before pouring it over the rest of the dish...) THIS IS THE BEST FREAKIN' ROAST CHICKEN EVER... thanks! I'm still picking the meat off the carcass and dipping it in the sauce as I write this comment...
Natasha says
That is quite the compliment, I am so glad you all enjoyed this recipe!! 🙂 You made my day.
Anna says
Made this tonight, as written. Turned out great. Rave reviews from my guests! Strongly recommend!
Natasha says
That's great to hear! Thanks for leaving a comment. 💛
Midi says
Made this last night. I served it in shallow bowl, sliced chicken, potatoes & green beans swimming in the sauce. Great presentation. Husband said it took the roast chicken to a whole new level! (My dutch oven was a bit small for my 5lb mutant bird - need to get a larger one since I plan on adding this to my repertoire!)
Natasha says
That's wonderful to hear!! So glad you guys enjoyed it!
Sherry says
What a wonderful dish. I loved the chicken and herb
flavor SO much. Almost had a bearnaise sauce taste. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Natasha says
So glad you enjoyed it!! ????
Jan DiSanto says
Natasha, I found this recipe the other day, saved it on PINTEREST, and decided to make today. My Niece also saw it and is making it today as well. I bought a 7lb bird so I'm adjusting the broth and seasonings accordingly. Can't wait to see how it turns out!!
Natasha says
That's great! I hope everyone enjoys it! ????
Jackye says
I've just bought all the ingredients to make this dish and I'm so excited about it. I bought a monster 7 lb chicken. How do you think I should adjust the timing?
Natasha says
Hi Jackye, I would add another 25-30 minutes to the first part of roasting (so roast for 70-75 min with the lid on, then remove the lid and roast for another 45 min). You may also want to add another quarter cup of chicken stock or water since you'll be roasting it for that extra half hour. I would definitely check with a meat thermometer to ensure that it's fully cooked, but I also don't want you to over-cook it since 425F is a pretty high temperature. I hope you enjoy this recipe!!
Jackye says
Thanks for the advice Natasha, I'll let you know tonight how it turns out.
Nicole says
This recipe looks delicious ! Do you think you could just through all the ingredients into a slow cooker and cook it for 5-6 hours?
Natasha says
Thank you! I don't see why you couldn't give that a try. I'm not sure if the chicken skin will crisp up, but it should still be tasty. If you do try, let me know how it went. ☺️
Allie | In This Kitchen says
This makes me really want to buy a big pot like that - I don't have a dutch oven and I keep saying I want one! Maybe for my birthday coming up I'll finally get it 🙂 Looks SO good. Comfort food at its best.
Natasha says
Thank you Allie! It's definitely an investment (I got mine on sale when a kitchen shop went out of business), but it'll last forever.
Jamie says
I went out today and bought my first 8 quart Dutch oven just because of this recipe . My husband says dinner better be very tasty tonight for the price of the cookware! Lol . Looking forward to making it in a few hours!
Natasha says
Haha! Sounds like a great excuse to buy new cookware!! I really hope you guys enjoy it. Let me know! ????
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
oh my gosh!! what an amazingly delicious recipe, and the photos are just so so good. love it! Xx
Natasha says
Thanks so much!!
Meghan | Fox and Briar says
OMG Natasha this looks SO GOOD! It is making me want winter to come right now so i can cozy up with this chicken. But then we would need to skip fall. Hmm. Pinning for later! 🙂
Natasha says
Thank you!! I cozied up with it in the summer in my freezing office hahaha.
Luanne Cogswell says
Ever make this on the grill?
Natasha says
I haven't tried this particular dish on the grill because it cooks in the sauce so I'm not sure how you'd do that. Rotisserie chicken on the BBQ is delicious, though! You could probably make a similar cream herb sauce to go with it.
Cathy | whatshouldimakefor.com says
That sauce!! Middle of summer or not I want a big plate of this now!!
Natasha says
Thanks Cathy!! I ran out of leftovers on Wednesday... I want a plate of it now as well 🙁
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
This chicken looks fantastic, Natasha! Love those tiny potatoes and that sauce looks delicious! This is comfort food at it's finest! Cheers!
Natasha says
Thank you!!