What's Cooking?

I've been very much into getting new recipes lately even joining in on a recipe chain mail exchange. Nancy of Belle Epoque thought it was a better idea for us to post it up online which I totally agree. There's also a new website out called Cookthink where you can enter in whatever you're craving (or ingredients in your fridge) and the best recipes will pop up suggesting something good to cook.

So in the true nature of the Internet, here's my recipe to share with everyone!

Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken
This recipe was given to me years ago by one of my former roomates, Dani Karre, who is a chef. She told me every gal has to have a staple recipe to cook and said that this roasted chicken could be that simple staple recipe, yet be a cinch to cook. She was right. I've cooked this chicken for everyone and it's the perfect main dish for an intimate dinner or dinner party.

1 Whole Chicken
1 Lemon
1-2 Sprigs of Rosemary
Butter or Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Oven: 375
Roast Time: Depends on Chicken weight
2 ½ - 3 pounds = 1 to ¼ hours
3 ½ - 4 pounds = 1 ¼ to 1 ¾ hours
4 ½ - 5 pounds = 1 ½ to 2 hours
5 – 6 pounds = 1 ¾ to 2 ½ hours

Preheat your oven to 375.

Clean and rinse chicken well, removing innards. Pat outside skin dry and lay the chicken upright on board.

Using your hand, separate a bit of the skin from the meat at the top of the chicken. Insert a small pat of butter within skin. (Can skip this if you are looking out for your cholesterol.) Alternative is to spray with “I can’t believe its not Butter” or brush with olive oil which is what I do.

Cut the lemon in half. Squeeze one half of the lemon juice over the chicken and smooth over skin with fingers. Take the other half of lemon and insert it into the chicken cavity.

Take 1 – 2 sprigs of rosemary and put 1 in the cavity and one on underneath the skin of the chicken (where you had put the butter). If you don’t want dried rosemary stuck to the skins, you can keep it in the cavity.

Sprinkle a dash of salt and pinch of pepper over the chicken.

Put the chicken in a roasting pan (turn the wings under the chicken so they don’t burn) and bake according to the weight of the chicken. Your chicken should look nice and brown (but not too dark).

Voila! You now have the secret easy-to-do recipe for fantastic roasted chicken!

Comments

[Shay]

Jamie Oliver does a recipe very similar to this, but he boils the lemon before putting it inside the chicken, so the flavor is released more quickly. Try it this way, I think it definitely makes a difference in how "lemony" it is.

[Claire]

So glad you liked the site - and I agree, having a go-to dish is always a good idea. Your chicken sounds delightful - and since it's actually turned chilly here in DC, a nice warm plate of roasted goodness sounds perfect just now. I'll be trying it out!

[Flights of Fab Fashion Fancy]

Love your recipe! I need to try the lemon. I make a version of this chicken. For mine I make a herb butter with thyme, salt, and garlic that I rub under the skin and over the chicken. Very delicious!

[Nichelle]

That Cookthink is a great find Nat! I typed in "salmon" and "exotic" and a very interesting recipe for Broiled Thai Shrimp came up.

Close enough!

[Marichelle]

Thank you so much for this link! I love trying recipes (almost every night) and I always have left over ingredients that I don't know what to do with - 1/2 tub of ricotta cheese or 1/2 quart of buttermilk, this site is perfect for that. Thanks again!!