By The Beaumont family Sunday dinner — a tradition I started this month: every Sunday, the whole family at the table, a big cook, no phones. Luc resisted. Colette organized it. Rémy appointed himself sous chef. Danielle enforced the no-phone rule with a basket by the door that Luc drops his phone into the way a condemned man drops his last possession.
First Sunday: I made a whole roasted chicken with root vegetables and a pan gravy. Simple. Foundational. The kind of meal that anchors a week and reminds five people that they belong to each other, even the one who would rather be texting. We ate. We talked. Rémy told a story about a fish he caught that was "bigger than Pierre's head," which is anatomically impossible but narratively effective. Colette described a painting she's working on. Luc, phone-free and grudging, eventually told us about a physics experiment that excited him, and the excitement cracked through his teenage armor, and for thirty seconds he was the boy who used to build bridges out of Popsicle sticks and explain them to me with shining eyes. Thirty seconds. I'll take thirty seconds. I'll take whatever the table gives me.
That first Sunday, I wanted something foundational — nothing fussy, nothing that would pull me away from the table for too long, because the whole point was to be at the table. A lemon herb chicken felt exactly right: bright and honest, the kind of cooking that fills a house with smell before it fills a table with people. If you want the recipe that started the Beaumont Sunday tradition, this is it.
Lemon Herb Grilled Chicken
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 5
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs), spatchcocked or cut into pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest and juice of 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Make the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika until combined.
- Marinate the chicken. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Coat thoroughly with the herb marinade, working it under the skin where possible. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
- Preheat the grill. Heat your grill to medium-high (about 400°F). Clean and oil the grates well to prevent sticking.
- Grill skin-side down. Place chicken skin-side down on the grill. Cook for 8–10 minutes until the skin is golden and releases cleanly from the grates.
- Flip and finish. Turn the chicken over, reduce heat to medium, and cover. Cook for another 25–30 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Rest before serving. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 5–10 minutes before carving so the juices redistribute.
- Serve. Arrange on a platter, squeeze a little extra lemon over the top, and scatter fresh parsley to finish. Bring it to the table whole — let people serve themselves.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 390 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 24g | Carbs: 3g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 480mg