Two days ago I found a “no-fail” roast chicken recipe on Bon Appetit’s website and I knew I had to make it right away because of how delicious it looked.  So on my way home I stopped by the grocery and bought a whole chicken, some lemons, and a head of garlic.

It’s a simple 5-ingredient recipe and I love roast chicken with potatoes on a cold day (thanks to my mom’s home cooking) so I was really looking forward to it.

Well well well…. I surely wasn’t disappointed.  I paired it with Mashed Red Potatoes with Sour Cream and Dill and it turned out savory and so delicious!  I’m impressed with the simplicity of it too so I’m putting it into my rotation from now on. 😉

“Winter blues are cured every time with a potato gratin paired with a roast chicken.”

– Alex Guarnaschelli

 

Preheat oven to 425º F.  After rinsing and patting dry, place the whole chicken breast-side up in a cast iron skillet or roasting pan.

 

Slice the skin between the leg and breast to relax the bird.

 

Generously rub the entire chicken with sea salt and fresh black pepper… throw some salt in the cavity too.

 

A few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme is optional but recommended.

 

Melt the butter and halve the head of garlic and both lemons, removing the seeds from the lemons.

 

Now place half of the garlic and two lemon halves in the cavity.  Throw a sprig of rosemary in there too if you’re using it.

 

Then place the other half of the garlic and remaining lemons face down next to the chicken.  Add more rosemary too!  Drizzle the chicken with all of the butter and then roast!

Note:  Since this was my first time making BA’s roast chicken, I followed their instructions and roasted it breast side up.  Typically I roast breast side down so the white meat can marinate in the juices while it cooks and I’ll probably do this moving forward.

 

Ta-daaaaa!  Here it is… savory, delicious, and so quick and easy!  This paired SO WELL with those potatoes I mentioned. 🙂  I hope you try making it because it really is a “NO FAIL” recipe. 🙂

 

No-Fail Roast Chicken with Lemon and Garlic

• 1 3.5-4.5 pound Whole Chicken
• 2 Lemons
• 1 head of Garlic
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) Butter, melted
• Fresh Rosemary Sprigs (optional)
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 425º F.  Rinse the chicken, pat it dry really well, and then slice the skin connecting the legs to the breast.  Rub the whole chicken generously with salt and pepper, about 4 teaspoons of salt.  Fill the cavity with half of the garlic and 2 halved lemons.  Place the second half of the garlic and two halved lemons face down in the roasting pan beside the chicken.  If using rosemary sprigs stick those in the pan and cavity too.  Drizzle it with the melted butter.  Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the weight (it needs to reach 165º F. internal temp).  Let it rest for 15 minutes before serving and then pour the pan juices over the chicken before eating.  Enjoy!! xoxo

Serves 4-6.

I only slightly adapted this recipe.  To find the VERY EASY original version click here:

No-Fail Roast Chicken with Lemon and Garlic