Roast Chicken With Lemon. It’s Your New Go-To Recipe!

A crisp roast chicken would set the world aright. George R.R. Martin

Thanks to Julia Child, Ina Garten and my friend Vicki, I have perfected the roast chicken. Every time I make it for friends, I get a request for the recipe. It’s so perfect to make on a Sunday night for family dinner and then add left over chicken to salads, soups or sandwiches throughout the week. It’s really a staple. Best of all, it is really easy too!

I especially like to make it during the busy holiday season when there isn’t much time to spare for cooking during the week. Throw a bag of frozen rice in the microwave (I like Trader Joe’s wild rice or brown rice) and steam some green beans. Sliced chicken, wild rice and green beans with a little fresh lemon juice squeezed on top makes for a very easy, yummy, and quick meal.

All you need is a roasting chicken, lemons, olive oil, garlic, herbs and spices.

Here is the recipe to set the world aright:

5-7 pound whole roasting chicken

1-2 lemons – I go through 2 lemons because I squeeze a little more on the chicken once it’s sliced

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

3 large garlic cloves – or more – suit yourself

Salt – whatever you like – sea salt, coarse salt, pink Himalayan salt, good old salt salt

Pepper

Lemon pepper – I prefer Kinder’s

Thyme – dried or fresh

Rosemary – dried or fresh

Basil

Anything else you like – oregano, marjoram, parsley……whatever you have in your spice cabinet.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

1.      Remove the chicken from the package and place in a roasting pan or 9×13 baking dish

2.      Make sure to remove any of the stuff in the cavity like the giblets and the other questionable things in there

3.      Drizzle olive oil and rub it all over the bird – around a tablespoon or two

4.      Quarter a large lemon and squeeze all the juice all over the bird

5.     Place the lemon quarters in the cavity of the chicken

6.      Liberally salt the chicken – I guess around a tablespoon

7.     Sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of each of the herbs and spices – I just pour in the palm of my hand and sprinkle over the bird

8.      Chop the garlic cloves and sprinkle on top and around the chicken

9.      Place in the oven and get ready for the most delicious aroma in your home

Roast for 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the size of the bird – or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees Fahrenheit. When it’s done, let it rest for around 5-10 minutes before carving.

It’s so good with mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, wild rice or atop a salad. Spoon the juices in the pan on top of the carved chicken, potatoes or rice. It is delicious – lemon and garlic goodness. Put forth a little effort to roast a whole chicken to have plenty for lunch or other dinners throughout the week!