Roast Chicken with Lemon and Garlic

From Patricia Coldwell

So many ways to make a roast chicken! Here is one of my foolproof recipes, an amalgamation of several from Epicurious/Bon Appetit.

What makes it work: Make sure to dry the chicken very well to ensure a crispy skin. Let it sit at room temperature about an hour to absorb the seasonings. No trussing required–just let the legs hang loose so more of the skin browns. Heat the cast iron skillet or enameled pan in the oven prior to adding the chicken so it sizzles in the pan and browns more of the surface. Remove the chicken from the oven when the temperature reaches 155F. It will continue to cook to the safe temperature of 165F while it rests. And of course, a little (a lot) of garlic never hurts!

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients for Chicken:

1 lemon
1 head garlic (a head, not a clove)
¼ c unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil
1 3 ½-4 lb whole chicken
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 T fresh parsley, chopped
Kosher salt (about 3-4 teaspoons depending on chicken weight)
Freshly ground pepper (about 1 teaspoon)

Optional Roasted Vegetables:

6 small new potatoes
1 medium onion, quartered
2 large carrots, cut in 1 ½ inch chunks
2 parsnips, cut in 1 ½ inch chunks
2 T olive oil
3 sprigs rosemary
¼ c parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Scrub and cut up vegetables. Place vegetables in a large bowl. Toss with oil and herbs and season with salt and pepper.

Directions:

Cut lemon in half crosswise, remove any seeds. Cut whole garlic bulb in half crosswise.

Place chicken on cutting board. Pat dry with paper towels. Use sharp knife to slice through skin connecting leg and breast on each side (about a 3 inch long incision.) Do not cut into the flesh. This makes it easy to check for doneness in the crease.

Season the entire chicken front, back, and inside with salt and pepper. Place rosemary and parsley in chicken cavity. Let chicken sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425F. Place a cast iron skillet or enameled cast iron pot (such as Creuset) in oven for about 20 minutes. Carefully remove skillet from oven and add chicken to pot. Arrange vegetables around chicken (if including). Drizzle chicken with melted butter/oil and return to oven. Roast 45-55 minutes until juices run clear and temperature reaches 155 degrees. The meat should look opaque and fiber should separate easily.

Let chicken rest in skillet for 20 minutes, then move to a cutting board and carve. Pour pan juices over top and serve with roasted lemon and garlic alongside.