Roast Lemon Chicken

Submitted by: admin on April 2, 2020

Serves 3 To 4

Ingredients

Salt and pepper
1 (3-1⁄2- to 4-pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded
2 lemons
6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons melted and 2 tablespoons cut into 2 pieces and chilled
1-3⁄4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

Instructions

  1. Dissolve 1⁄2 cup salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Set V-rack in flameproof roasting pan and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray.
  3. Cut 1 lemon lengthwise into quarters. Place lemon quarters and garlic in cavity of chicken. Brush breast side of chicken with 1 tablespoon melted butter and season with pepper. Place chicken breast side down in V-rack, then brush back of chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter and season with pepper.
  4. Roast chicken for 40 minutes. Remove pan from oven; increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Using 2 large wads of paper towels, rotate chicken breast side up; add 1 cup chicken broth to pan. Return pan to oven and continue roasting until breast registers 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes longer. Remove pan from oven; tip V-rack to let juices from chicken cavity run into roasting pan. Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest while making sauce. Remove V-rack from pan.
  5. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler. Remove fat from surface of drippings in pan using large spoon and stir in remaining 3⁄4 cup chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Place pan over 2 burners, bring sauce to simmer, and cook until reduced to 1⁄2 cup, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
  6. Discard lemons and garlic from chicken cavity. Cut chicken into quarters, adding any accumulated juices to pan. Place chicken quarters skin side up in sauce in pan; broil chicken until skin is crisp and deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving platter.
  7. Halve remaining lemon lengthwise; squeeze juice of 1 half into pan; cut remaining half into 4 wedges and set aside. Whisk chilled butter into sauce until combined; stir in parsley and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken with sauce and lemon wedges.

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