Garlic, Rosemary, Lemon Chicken delivers bold, zesty flavor with minimal effort that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or entertaining guests.
Author:Chef Sandra Lewis
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:1 hour
Total Time:1 hour 15 minutes
Yield:Serves 4-6 1x
Ingredients
UnitsScale
1 4–lb. whole chicken
1 medium head of garlic, minced and worked into a paste, about 3 tablespoons
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, lightly chopped
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 lemon slices (use one of the lemons that were zested)
6 lemon wedges (use the other lemon that was zested)
2 sprigs of rosemary
kosher salt
Garnish
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 lemon
Instructions
Heat the oven to 450˚F,
Sprinkle the minced garlic with a pinch of salt. Using the flat side of your knife blade, press down and drag it across the garlic. Repeat this motion, mashing, and scraping the garlic against the cutting board. The salt acts as an abrasive, helping to break down the garlic and draw out its moisture. Add a little more salt and run your knife through it again if needed. Keep working the mixture until it forms a paste-like mixture. If you still see some small pieces of garlic, this is ok. It doesn’t have to be reduced completely to a paste. You’ll end up with about 3 tablespoons at the end, depending on how large your head of garlic is.
Mix the garlic paste with the rosemary, lemon zest, and olive oil.
Dry the chicken with a paper towel.
Gently ease the skin of the chicken from the meat working from the breast around to the thigh and legs. Once the skin is loosened, spread the garlic paste under the skin reaching as much of the meat as possible.
Season the skin and cavity of the chicken with additional kosher salt.
Place the lemon wedges in the cavity of the chicken along with the sprigs of rosemary.
Lay the six lemon slices onto a sheet pan then place the chicken on top of the slices.
Roast the chicken for 45 minutes. Check the temperature of the chicken with a thermometer and continue roasting until the chicken hits 165˚F.
Allow the chicken to rest 10 minutes before carving. Lay the carved chicken on a platter.
Garnish with rosemary and drizzle with a juice of fresh lemon.
Top 10 Fruits and Vegetables for Weeknight Cooking
You can make a delicious meal any night of the week with a handful of fresh vegetables and fruits. Get Chef Sandra Lewis' Top 10 Vegetables and Fruits for Weeknight Cooking. Subscribe to our email list below or text COOK to 66866.
Top 10 Fruits and Vegetables for Weeknight Cooking
You can make a delicious meal any night of the week with a handful of fresh vegetables and fruits. Get Chef Sandra Lewis' Top 10 Vegetables and Fruits for Weeknight Cooking. Subscribe to our email list below or text COOK to 66866.
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