French Lemon Chicken
It's major to select a good free range chicken for this dish! I tried the same cooking method brining the chicken 6 - 12 hours before the cooking process, using 4 cups of water with 1 table spoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar, but actually I didn't notice a big difference skipping this step, in fact I've found the flavor little more intense and carrying on without brining.
French lemon chicken is good served with saffron rice and steamed vegetable as well .. enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 4 lb free range chicken
- 4 oz butter or about 1/2 stick
- 3 tablespoon crushed dried chillies
- 1 lemons
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- several spring fresh thyme
- 1 onion
- 2 potato
- 2 carrot
- Salt and pepper
Method:
Prepare the lemon butter first: In a small bowl, mash the butter with a wooden fork or spoon until creamy and add a good pinch of salt, freshly ground pepper and crushed dried chillies to taste.
Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon into the flavored butter. Add the dried thyme. Mix well and rub mixture all over the chicken. Slice the second lemon with and stuff inside the cavity with part of the chopped carrot and fresh thyme.
Preheat the oven 350 F, place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and spread the remaining vegetables around the chicken, roast in the pre-heated oven for 55-65 minutes, basting the chicken with its buttery juices from time to time.