Roasted Lemon Herb Chicken
"I'd admit that sometimes I am looking for a different result from my chicken dish. It might be a crispy skin; it might be juicy and tender meat, but not necessarily fall-off-the-bone-tender; it might a different texture…Something that only an oven can do. I know it’d require the cook to put in a little bit more effort than just set and walk away, so I’d better make the effort worth it. How worthwhile is it to make this roasted lemon herb whole chicken with carrots and onions? Let’s see. A whole chicken with perfect crispy skin. Very juicy and tender meat. A herby and lemony gravy. Tasty carrots and onions as the side leftovers for another chicken meal."
NotesIf you would like to thicken the sauce more, dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water and add to the skillet when boiling. Stir until thickened.
Serves6
Preparation Time15 min
Cooking Time1 hr 45 min
Ingredients
- 1 whole 5-pound chicken
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 lemons, 1 halved and 1 sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 6 carrots, roughly chopped
- Salt to taste
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Rinse chicken and remove giblets. Pat dry with paper towels.
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Mix chicken rub ingredients in a small bowl and rub onto the chicken, both outside and inside. Stuff the chicken with rosemary, thyme and 2 lemon halves. Set the chicken aside.
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In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, heat up olive oil over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes. Sauté onion for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in wine and cook until evaporates, about 3-4 minutes. Add chicken broth, carrots and sliced lemon. Stir well and place the seasoned chicken on top.
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Bake for 1.5 hours to 2 hours until chicken is completely cooked through and the temperature near the bones reaches 165°F. Baste the chicken with broth and juices a couple times during the roasting process.
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Once chicken is done, transfer the chicken and the vegetables to a serving plate. Skim as much fat as possible from the surface of the remaining broth and juices in the skillet with a big spoon and bring it to a boil. Cook until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes. Season it with salt to taste.