Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken
Serves 3-4 ~ Prep time 20 minutes ~ Cook time 1-2 Hours
Ingredients
- 1 roasting chicken, (5 to 6-lb)
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp. basil, dried
- 1tsp thyme, dried
- ½ tsp. oregano, dried
- 4 lemons, halved
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp. butter, cubed
- 1 cup white wine
- ½ cup chicken stock
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°
Rinse & clean chicken; removing all gizzards & pat dry. Place chicken, breast side up, on a clean work surface. Fold wing tips under chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken
In a small bowl combine all dried herbs.
Place the chicken on a rack inside of a large roasting pan. Liberally salt & pepper the inside cavity of chicken. Stuff the cavity with 1 lemon & the garlic cloves sprinkling some for the herb mixture inside as well. Insert butter cubes between chicken skin & meat. The more you are able to insert the moister the chicken will be. Place any remaining butter cubes inside chicken cavity. Sprinkle reaming herbs, salt & pepper over entire chicken.
Cut 2 of the lemons in quarters & scatter the quarters & remaining garlic around the chicken. Pour the wine and chicken stock inside the roasting pan. Tent chicken with a piece of aluminum foil for a more even browning & accurate cooking.
Roast the chicken for 1 ½ hours or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg & thigh. Remove to a platter & cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the gravy. Chicken should rest for at least 5 minutes.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the bottom of the pan. Add & bring it to a boil in a sauce pot. Reduce the heat, & simmer for 5 minutes, or until reduced by half.
Slice the chicken & place onto a serving platter. Garnish the chicken with the remaining lemon slices. Serve with the gravy.