Wednesday, June 3, 2009

This is what's for dinner (June 3)


Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken

Ingredients:

one whole chicken (3-5lbs)
one lemon (halved)
half of a head of garlic
lemon pepper seasoning (a couple of tbsps)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup of butter (melted)
half an onion (cut into pieces)
sprigs of fresh herbs (i used 4 sprigs rosemary, 15 sprigs of thyme and four basil leaves)
a few tbsps of evoo (olive oil)

Preheat oven to 400. Remove giblets and rinse the inside of the cavity. Place breast side up in roasting pan or on baking sheet. Inside the cavity, stuff with the lemon halves, onion, 2 sprigs of rosemary and the rest of the other herbs, and half garlic head. It is okay if they are sticking out of the cavity a little. Loosen the skin from the top of the chicken breast (careful not break it) and stuff remaining two sprigs of rosemary under the skin. Mix the melted butter and lemon pepper seasoning together. Then, rub the whole chicken with it or use a brush and brush it on. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. You can use whatever herbs you like. These are just my favorite. Cook until internal temp is 165 or for about an hour to an hour and a half.

If you like garlic, cut a few garlic heads in half and drizzle with evoo. Set them on the roasting pan with the chicken. They will roast and you can use the roasted garlic as a spread for your dinner bread.

The juices from this make wonderful tasting gravy. Just melt a couple of tbsp. of butter and add a couple of tbsp of flour. Let it sit for a minute or two. Then, whisk in the juices from the chicken and about a cup or so of chicken broth until thick.

Enjoy!
 
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