Walk Away Roast Chicken With Lemon Herbs Food

LEMON & HERB ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• NOTE: This chicken does best when prepped 24 hours in advance. If that's not doable, season and chill at least 8-10 hours before cooking for crispier skin and more flavorful chicken.
• Set chicken on a clean plate then wash hands with hot soapy water. Melt butter and drizzle over the skin of the chicken and brush to distribute evenly. Season the exterior and interior cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper (as the recipe is written, about 3/4-1 Tbsp sea salt and 1-2 tsp black pepper). This sounds like a lot of salt, but there should be a generous layer of seasoning on the chicken so it flavors the meat well. (For a roughly 4 lb. chicken, we used about 1 Tbsp salt and 2 tsp black pepper total.)
• Insert the lemon and fresh rosemary into the cavity - this infuses more flavor and also makes for a more flavorful broth (if making broth afterward).
• Set the chicken in the fridge uncovered (this allows the chicken to dry out a bit, which helps it crisp more when roasting). Wait 24-36 hours (ideally) or at least 8-10 hours to cook. At this time, be sure to wash hands with hot soapy water again and clean all surfaces well to avoid spreading bacteria.
• Once you're ready to cook your chicken, preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C). Get out a large rimmed roasting pan or cast-iron skillet (we like this baking dish). If adding veggies (optional) add carrots and potatoes to the pan. Drizzle with a bit of oil and season well with salt and pepper. Then toss to combine.
• Arrange the veggies around the perimeter of the dish, then add the chicken (breast side up) in the center (if not baking with veggies, just place chicken in center of pan).
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes (UNCOVERED) or until the exterior is crispy and golden brown and the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 F (74 C). I also like to measure the breast temperature to ensure it's done in the center as well (also 165 F / 74 C). For an accurate read, be sure the thermometer is not touching bone.
• Remove from oven and let chicken rest for about 10-15 minutes before serving. This ensures the juices redistribute to keep the chicken moist.
• To slice the chicken, use a sharp knife to remove the wings and the thighs (option to cut the leg/drumstick from the thigh for easier serving portions). Then slice down either side of the breast bone and thinly slice the breasts into 1/4-inch serving portions. Use hands to carefully remove any other parts of meat from the bones. Lastly, if opting to make bone broth, save the bones (including the legs and wings after meat has been removed).
• To serve, arrange the carrots and potatoes on a serving platter and top with pieces of chicken. You will likely have a generous portion of cooking juices left over in the roasting pan, which I recommend transferring to a small dish and serving on the side to add more flavor as a lazy but delicious form of "gravy."
• Enjoy hot. Save cooled leftover meat and veggies covered in the fridge up to 2-3 days. Transfer meat up to the freezer after that and store up to 1 month (veggies won't freeze). Leftover meat can be enjoyed cold or hot (warm in the oven or microwave) on its own, or shredded and added to soup.

WHOLE ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND HERBS

Steps:

• Set a rack on the lower middle level of the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the thyme sprigs, garlic, and one lemon half, squeezing the lemon as you insert it to release the juice into the cavity. Rub the butter all over the chicken skin, including undersides, then season once again with salt and pepper.
• Tie the ends of the drumsticks together with twine. Arrange the chicken breast-up on the rack in a roasting pan. Squeeze the juice of the remaining lemon half over the top of the chicken. (You can toss the lemon half into the roasting pan or discard it.)
• Place the roasting pan in the oven. After 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. When the chicken is beginning to brown rapidly, baste with accumulated pan juices.
• Add the onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf to the roasting pan after 30 minutes. Continue roasting, basting several times, until the juices run clear when pierced at the thickest part of the thigh with a knife or if you tilt the chicken forward the juices that run out of the cavity are clear, an additional 45 to 60 minutes (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours total roasting time). Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest in a warm place to allow the juices to redistribute, about 15 minutes. To serve, remove the herbs and the lemon half from the cavity and discard. Reserve the garlic cloves and carve the chicken. Serve the chicken with the vegetables and reserved garlic cloves. (The bay leaf may be left for decoration or discarded.)

WALK-AWAY ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMON & HERBS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375°F In a small bowl, combine 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the mustard, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Squeeze the juice from one lemon half into the herb mixture; squeeze the juice from the other half into a small bowl and reserve. Reserve the squeezed lemon halves. Spoon the herb mixture over the chicken and inside its cavity, rubbing to coat the bird thoroughly. Put the reserved lemon halves inside the chicken's cavity.
• Put the onion and potatoes in a roasting pan. Season them with salt and pepper and toss them with the remaining 1 1/2 Tblsps. olive oil. Scatter the ingredients around the pan to make room in the center for the chicken.
• Put the chicken in the pan, breast side up. Cook until the meat is tender and the juices run clear at the thigh, about 1-1/4 hours. By this time, the potatoes and onions should be tender.
• Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter. Pour the juices from inside the chicken's cavity into the roasting pan and transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest.
• Spoon off and discard as much fat as possible from the juices in the roasting pan. Set the pan with the juices over medium-low heat and pour in the reserved lemon juice along with 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Cut the chicken into pieces (or serve it whole, if you like). Pour the pan juices over the chicken and serve.

LEMON-HERB ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pat the chickens very dry with paper towels. Season inside the cavities with salt and pepper. Combine the butter, lemon zest, parsley, chervil, chives, tarragon, 2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper in a mini food processor; pulse until almost smooth. Gently loosen the skin on the chicken breasts and thighs with your fingers. Rub half of the herb butter evenly under the skin of both chickens, then rub the remaining herb butter all over the chickens. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 30 minutes to dry out the skin.
• About 30 minutes before roasting, bring the chickens to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Stuff the lemon quarters into the chicken cavities. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the body. Arrange the chickens breast-side up on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet or in a shallow roasting pan, leaving a bit of space between them; scatter the lemon wedges on the rack around the chickens.
• Roast until the breasts and tops of the legs are golden, about 30 minutes. Rotate the pan and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue roasting until the skin is golden and crisp all over and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, 40 to 50 more minutes.
• Remove the chickens from the oven; let rest 15 minutes in the pan. Remove the twine and carve the chickens (see below); serve with the roasted lemon wedges.

ROASTED LEMON-HERB CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Generously salt and pepper the inside cavity of the chicken, and add 4 rosemary sprigs, thyme, garlic, and half of the lemon. Slice the remaining lemon half into thin slices and slide them under the exterior skin of the chicken breasts. Take the remaining 2 rosemary sprigs and slide them down along each side of the breast bone under the skin. Tuck the wings back and under the chicken and tie the legs together for even cooking.
• Place the chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan and brush the top and sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Roast chicken in the oven, basting with drippings at least once, until juices run clear and leg bone easily pulls away from the meat, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Remove chicken from oven and cover with foil. Allow to rest for juices to redistribute, at least 15 minutes.
• Carve the chicken and place on serving platter.

LEMON AND HERB ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to the top position and preheat to 450 degrees F. Toss together the potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Roast until the vegetables brown slightly and the potatoes just begin to soften, about 20 minutes, tossing halfway through.
• Meanwhile, rub the chicken breast skin with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with the poultry seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Once the vegetables begin to soften, put the chicken breasts on top and roast until the skin is golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove the chicken breasts and let them rest for a few minutes. Toss the roasted vegetables with juice from 1 of the lemon halves and the parsley. Cut the bones from the chicken breasts and slice the meat. Divide the chicken and roasted vegetables among 4 plates. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges and serve alongside.

ROSEMARY & LEMON ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Very finely chop 2 sprigs of the rosemary and mix with 2 tbsp of the butter and the garlic, lemon zest and chilli. Gently lift the skin away from the breast of the chicken and press the butter underneath on both sides. Rub the remaining butter on the outside of the chicken. Stuff the lemon inside the cavity.
• Place the chicken on a wire rack along with the carrots in a medium roasting tin. Season, then scatter with the remaining rosemary leaves. Roast the chicken for 1 hr 10 mins or until the juices run clear, then remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 mins before carving. Serve it on a board with the carrots and a bowl of the roasting juices.