This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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!
Try my Sunday Pot Roast or Red Wine Braised Short Ribs next.
Why you’ll love it
Since publishing this chicken pot roast recipe, lovely readers have described it as everything from “mystical” to “swoon-worthy” and “literally the best roasted chicken“. Something special definitely happens in the oven to make the dreamy, rich sauce with fresh herbs and white wine!
This creamy whole roasted chicken is moist and juicy, and the potatoes melt in your mouth. It’s a one pot meal that might just be the tastiest thing you’ll make in your Dutch oven. Maybe my favorite part is how it’s really, really easy to make for a beautiful Sunday dinner!
What you’ll need
- Chicken – I like to make this with a 4 pound chicken since it’s cooked for quite a long time, so aim for one that size. Basically, 3-4 pounds should be good.
- Lemon – a whole lemon infuses the chicken with brightness and a touch of acidity to balance the creaminess
- Seasoning rub – salt & pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika add so much flavor directly to the meat
- Garlic – a generous amount to amp up the savory flavor
- Butter and chicken broth – for richness and moisture as the base of the sauce
- Heavy cream – using heavy cream ensures the sauce is perfectly rich and doesn’t separate
- White wine – use a dry variety that you enjoy the taste of. Try sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.
- Fresh rosemary, tarragon, oregano, and parsley – these fresh herbs pair perfectly with poultry
- Potatoes – baby potatoes cook right along in the pot with the chicken
Pro tip
- Use heavy cream for this recipe as a lower fat alternative is highly likely to curdle. Some readers have discovered this the hard way! I recommend measuring it out and letting it warm up a bit on your counter rather than adding it straight from the fridge.
How to roast a chicken in a Dutch oven
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
It’s a simple two-step process. First, cook the seasoned chicken along with the lemon, garlic cloves, rosemary, butter, and broth for 45 minutes. Then add in the potatoes, tarragon and oregano, cream, and wine. Let the sauce reduce and chicken become golden, garnish with chopped parsley, and enjoy! Easy peasy.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I used a 5.5 quart Dutch oven. Make sure your Dutch oven or baking dish is deep enough that there’s at least an inch and a half clearance from the top after you’ve added the potatoes in so that it doesn’t bubble all over your oven.
- Use an instant read thermometer to ensure the chicken is properly cooked.
- Melamine cooking spoons are tried and true ones I use every time I’m cooking since they don’t scratch pots and pans.
- For the liquid measurements, my go-to is this measuring cup set.
- If you have leftover herbs, store them in a herb keeper to keep them fresh.
Substitutions and variations
- This is one recipe that doesn’t lend itself well to any kind of substitutions. It’s been tested extensively, so give it a try as written for the same delicious results!
- It is super important to use heavy cream here. Don’t substitute for anything with a lower fat content. It won’t turn out as intended, and the sauce will break.
What to serve with this pot roast chicken
- I like it with steamed vegetables, my Easy Asparagus Recipe, or these Glazed Carrots.
- Craving a big salad to go with it? Dress up spring mix and veggies with my Creamy Balsamic Dressing, or try this refreshing Creamy Cucumber Salad.
- A dinner roll or slice of fresh crusty bread is fantastic to dip into the sauce.
Leftovers and storage
- This chicken and potatoes recipe makes excellent leftovers. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat slowly in a saucepan until warmed through. Use a low heat.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one due to the creamy sauce.
If you made this Dutch oven chicken recipe, leave a star rating and review below! Talk to me if the post didn’t answer all of your questions. Tag me #saltandlavender with a photo on Instagram!
Creamy Lemon and Herb Pot Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken about 4 pounds
- 1 lemon
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 5-6 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock
- 2 cups heavy cream see note
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
- 1.5 pounds baby potatoes
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 425F.
- Add the chicken to a Dutch oven. Prick the lemon with a knife in several places, and then insert the lemon in the chicken's cavity. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Place the rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves around the chicken. Cut the 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 potatoes into halves.
- Add the cream, white wine, oregano, tarragon, and potatoes to the pot. Place it back in 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
- I can’t say this strongly enough: use heavy cream and do not sub for something lower fat as it will curdle. Heavy cream is 36% fat or higher.
- 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.
- Serves 4-6 depending on portion size.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
I made this last night and it was so delicious. Will definitely be saving this recipe but I was confused about the cooking time because the chicken was already at 160 after the first 45 minutes so I was concerned that leaving it with the top off for another 45 minutes would dry everything out. We kept the lid on and then thickened the sauce on the stove after everything turned out good but I’m curious what might’ve happened if we had followed the directions- would it have still turned out moist and good? I would rather do it that way next time if other people have had a similar experience and it turned out well.
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make! We shamelessly drank the cream sauce straight out of the pot after dinner. Thank you for this recipe!
Haha I love that! 😀 You’re very welcome!
I love this recipe! I’ve probably made over a dozen times now. I always make with some fresh toasted bread to dip in the sauce. It has an amazing savory flavor and so delicious!
That’s amazing! Thanks so much for your 5-star review, Emily! 😀
Can I use boneless skinless chicken thighs?
I’ve only tested it as written with a whole chicken. You could try, but they won’t need as long to cook.
This recipe was outstanding and so easy! I added carrots to my potatoes and didn’t have dry wine so I added white vinegar. Less than 1/4 cup was enough. Once chicken was finished, I took potatoes and veggies out and roasted with salt,pepper, and paprika at 450 for about 15 min then set broil to crisp them up a bit. They were excellent. I transferred the cream mixture to a pan and added some flour to thicken up, like mentioned in another comment and it made a delicious gravy. Chicken was super moist and flavorful. This has been added to my “must have” recipe book! Thank you for posting!
Excellent! 🙂
Did you use condensed chicken broth or regular chicken broth ?
Just the regular stuff you get in the cartons or cans. 🙂
Can I cook this in a crockpot ? If so, for how long ? I
know the skin won’t be as crisp.
Hi! Honestly, I am not sure. I haven’t ever done a whole chicken in the crockpot. You could look up timing for similar recipes and adapt this one perhaps. Let me know if you try!
Should I use defrosted chicken? Or can I use frozen?
Defrosted.
Just standing here over the stove drinking the leftover sauce out of a ladle….
It was fantastic.
Hahaha I love that!! 😀 So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for your review!
This recipe was fantastic. Do monitor and adjust your cooking time per the instructions. I added green beans along with the potatoes to make it a one pot meal. Once the chicken was done, I poured the liquid and vegetables through a colander. I placed the vegetables (including the rosemary sprigs) on a parchment lined cookie sheet and seasoned them with more salt, pepper and paprika then roasted them til golden brown at 450 degrees. I added about 3/4 cup of flour to a bowl and incrementally blended the liquid to it until smooth then returned it to the stove and simmered it into a gravy, adding a bit of raw sugar and molasses as well as the initial spices. This meal disappeared. Barely any leftovers.
So happy you enjoyed it!! Appreciate your detailed review. 🙂