This is one of those no-fail chicken recipes you can always count on and deserves to be a regular dish in your dinner repertoire. My lemon and garlic roast chicken is also perfect for entertaining; it can be cooked ahead and is ideal to serve at room temperature for large gatherings.
side suggestion: my mousseline potatoes
Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken
Makes six servings
chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle
For the dry rub:
2 teaspoons each:
Spice rub: Powdered garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil, paprika, cumin, black pepper, sea salt
Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl.
One 5-pound chicken
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 head fresh garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 fresh lemon, cut into quarters
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Fresh ground black pepper
Wash and dry chicken. Rub dry rub over the outside and interior of the chicken. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours. Before roasting the chicken, rub it with 1/2 of the fresh garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Place remaining fresh garlic, lemon quarters, and fresh parsley inside the chicken cavity and truss or tie up the chicken.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Place chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast the chicken for 25 minutes until it becomes a light brown color. Lower the temperature to 400 degrees F; roast for 30 minutes. Baste the chicken with the drippings every 10-15 minutes.
Lower the temperature to 350 degrees F for an additional 1/2 hour or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh, and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Remove chicken from oven. Allow chicken to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
