When life gives you lemons, make something delicious—like this lemon mayonnaise chicken. I was lucky to come home with a bounty of organic lemons from my sister’s tree in California a few weeks ago, and I couldn’t wait to cook with them.
We eat chicken often, so trying a new preparation is always a welcome change. I’d seen this mayo-based recipe on Pinterest several times and finally gave it a try. If you’ve never used mayonnaise on chicken, don’t be put off—this method keeps the meat incredibly moist and helps the skin brown to a crisp, golden finish.
If you’re not a mayo fan, don’t worry: it won’t make the chicken taste like mayonnaise. The combination of spices and lemon flavor shines through, and the result is a juicy, flavorful bird that’s perfect for dinner, and makes great leftovers for salads and sandwiches.
Here it is, rubbed with the mayo mixture, spiced, and ready to go into the oven.
Don’t guess whether the chicken is done. A good instant-read thermometer like the Thermapen Mk4 will tell you when the thigh reaches 165°F.
LIKE THIS RECIPE?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and
leave a comment below the recipe!
Print Recipe
Lemon Mayonnaise Chicken
Equipment
-
Thermapen Mk4 Instant-read Thermometer
Ingredients
- 5 pound chicken giblets removed and rinsed inside and out, patted dry
- salt & pepper
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 small lemons 1 lemon zested and juiced; the other 2 cut into quarters
- 2 teaspoons fresh oregano
- 1/2 cup dry white wine Chardonnay works well
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C).
-
Place the prepared chicken in a Dutch oven.
-
Combine the mayonnaise, oregano, lemon juice and lemon zest.
-
Season the chicken cavity with salt and pepper. Rub the mayonnaise mixture all over the bird, inside and out. Finish by sprinkling more salt and pepper on the outside; a pepper mill gives a nice coarse look.
-
Fill the cavity with the two quartered lemons. Pour the wine into the bottom of the Dutch oven.
-
Cover and bake for 25 minutes at 450°F. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for about 1 hour, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh.
-
Let the chicken rest 10–15 minutes before carving so the juices redistribute and the meat stays juicy.
Nutrition
—
One of our favorite ways to bake chicken is to stuff it with wild rice for a comforting, complete meal.
Easy Baked Chicken Stuffed with Long Grain & Wild Rice
When lemons are plentiful, I also like to bake lemony treats, like chewy glazed lemon cookies.
Got chicken? I have plenty of recipes to choose from—over 20 family favorites to inspire your next meal.
20+ Family Favorite Chicken Recipes
—
This recipe was adapted from a version found at Nutmeg Nanny.