This roast lemon chicken recipe features a rich, intense sauce made with the caramelized drippings in the roasting dish. The roasted chicken is served over some romaine, which is slightly wilted with the hot sauce. You can do this same recipe on watercress, spinach or arugula.
Makes 4 Portions of Caramelized Lemon Roast Chicken
Makes 4 Portions of Caramelized Lemon Roast Chicken
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 whole large chicken, about 4 lbs, rinsed, dried
- 4 lemons, juiced
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 hearts of romaine, sliced into ribbons
Preparation:
In a large mixing bowl, add the lemon juice, cayenne, cumin, black pepper, olive oil, and about 1/2 tsp of salt. Whisk together and add the chicken to the bowl. Turn the chicken to coat on all sides; leave to sit out at room temp for 20 minutes, breast side down in the marinade.
Choose a heavy-duty 9 x 13-inch metal or flame-proof glass baking dish, and grease the bottom with a little olive oil. Season the cavity with the dried herbs, pour in half the marinade, and tie the legs together with butcher string. Place the chicken in the baking dish, and pour over the rest of the liquid. Season generously with salt, and place in a preheated 375 degrees F. oven for 45 minutes.
Remove, and brush the chicken all over with the fat from the bottom of the dish. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock to the pan. Don't worry if the marinade has caramelized on the bottom - it will look like a dark tar, but that's what makes the sauce so great!
Return to the oven, and roast until done, about 30 minutes more (internal temp of 165 degrees F). Remove and cover loosely with foil and let rest for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate (let any liquids from the cavity drain into the baking dish when you do this), and cover with foil again while you make the sauce.
Place the baking dish on high flame, and add the last 2 cups of chicken stock. Reduce by 1/2 volume to form a brown and tangy jus (pan sauce). While it's reducing, scrap the bottom of the pan to deglaze any of the caramelized marinade. These dark bits will melt into the sauce and give it a rich flavor. You can skim some of the chicken fat from the surface if desired. Taste for salt and fresh ground black pepper, and adjust.
To serve, toss the romaine with some of the hot sauce to wilt it very slightly. Divide the greens on plates and top with the chicken, spooning over the remaining sauce.
Choose a heavy-duty 9 x 13-inch metal or flame-proof glass baking dish, and grease the bottom with a little olive oil. Season the cavity with the dried herbs, pour in half the marinade, and tie the legs together with butcher string. Place the chicken in the baking dish, and pour over the rest of the liquid. Season generously with salt, and place in a preheated 375 degrees F. oven for 45 minutes.
Remove, and brush the chicken all over with the fat from the bottom of the dish. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock to the pan. Don't worry if the marinade has caramelized on the bottom - it will look like a dark tar, but that's what makes the sauce so great!
Return to the oven, and roast until done, about 30 minutes more (internal temp of 165 degrees F). Remove and cover loosely with foil and let rest for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate (let any liquids from the cavity drain into the baking dish when you do this), and cover with foil again while you make the sauce.
Place the baking dish on high flame, and add the last 2 cups of chicken stock. Reduce by 1/2 volume to form a brown and tangy jus (pan sauce). While it's reducing, scrap the bottom of the pan to deglaze any of the caramelized marinade. These dark bits will melt into the sauce and give it a rich flavor. You can skim some of the chicken fat from the surface if desired. Taste for salt and fresh ground black pepper, and adjust.
To serve, toss the romaine with some of the hot sauce to wilt it very slightly. Divide the greens on plates and top with the chicken, spooning over the remaining sauce.