Thursday, March 20, 2008

ROSEMARY CHICKEN (aka lemon butt)

Ingredients:3 to 3 1/2-pound chicken
2 lemons, quartered
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh, chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons picked thyme
Extra virgin olive oil
Butcher's twine

Instructions:Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Rinse and dry the chicken. Season cavity liberally with half the salt and pepper, reserving the remaining half to season the outside. Stuff the cavity with rosemary, thyme, and lemons, squeezing the lemons as you put them in. Truss the bird tightly to keep the breasts from drying out. Add salt and pepper over the surface. Heat a sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, over low heat for 1 minute. Add the chicken, breast side up.
Transfer to oven and for 18 minutes per pound. For a 3 1/2-pound chicken, one hour is perfect. Do not open oven or baste chicken during roasting. If the chicken is cooked properly, when pierced with a knife in the thigh, the juice will run clear, not pink. Remove from the pan and cover loosely with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes prior to serving.

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