My Lemon Chicken
This is for Parsnip (side bar) http://twosquaredogs.blogspot.co.uk/
Our French DIL is an excellent cook but the children said her chicken was not as good as Grandma's.
1.5kg(3lb 5oz) whole chicken
2 lemons, quartered
2 heads of garlic, broken into unpeeled cloves
A bunch of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon of salt
Freshly ground black pepper.
For the roasties
700g(1lb 9oz) potatoes, peeled and diced.
1 teaspoon of salt
I tablespoon of olive oil
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5/190 degrees C/fan oven 170 degrees C. Rinse the chicken remembering to remove giblets. Pat dry with kitchen paper and place in a non stick roasting tin.
Push the lemons, garlic and thyme sprigs into the chest cavity of the chicken.
Sprinkle the salt and pepper all over the skin of the chicken; rubbing it in with your fingers. Roast for 1 hour and 25 minutes.
Meanwhile place the diced potatoes in a plastic container that has a tightly fitting lid. Add the salt and oil, place the lid on the container and shake well, so that all the pieces of potato get a light covering of the salty oil. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a non stick baking tray.
About 35 minutes towards the end of the chicken's cooking time, place the potatoes in the oven to roast.
Two heads of garlic sound an awful lot, but because the cloves are not peeled they just impart a subtle flavour.
Choose whatever vegetables you fancy as an accompaniment. With an Aga just put it where you normally cook roasts.
18 comments:
Is that your recipe or your French DIL's? It sounds like it would be good.
I've just had breakfast, and even though I don't eat meat, my mouth's drooling now.
I'll share this with my family, a bunch of us are going further north of Miami this weekend.
Come to think of it, this recipe might work good with fish.
Granny Annie: it is an old weight watcher's recipe of mine. Do try it:)
GG: Let me know please what you think if you do either.
Chef: oooh I've just noticed the new photo. Very revealing.
It sounds so yummy !
I have put lemons into the cavity but I like the idea of you putting all three in. I seem not to cook whole chickens anymore, just the pieces.
I have tossed chicken and veggies whole cloves of garlic olive oil, chopped lemons and baked in the oven. Squeeze garlic out late on the potatoes or bread.
This sounds so festive and pretty I must try it.
Thank you for the post.
cheers, parsnip
I will give it a go in the New Year, when I will be exploring my resolution to learn how to cook.
Sx
This recipe looks/sounds like one my late wife tried... 40 Cloves of Garlic Chicken!! I still have her handwritten cookbook (not that she cooked mind you), so I shall dig it out and compare!
But either way, I WILL be trying this one out, sounds delish!!!
Merry Christmas, dear. Sorry I've not been around. I'm enjoying my extended hiatus from the internet, except where absolutely necessary. I've not caught up with everyone, but I hope all is well.
With love,
Sounds scrumptious, and similar to a Sophie Grigson recipe for slow roasted chicken, stuffed to bursting with garlic, which I made (and loved) a few times in the 90s. I love thyme with roast chicken (and lemon) so this is likely to be even nicer, I may well make it for my own Christmas lunch.
Randall: lovely to get your greeting. You are missed but its great to know you are still around. There aren't many of us left.xox
Parsnip: you obviously know the flavour so I'm sure you will enjoy it.
Scarlet: it's a good one to start with: uncomplicated, and a very tasteful result.
Bernie: do hope you enjoy it:)
eryl: I'd be tickled pink if you did:)
Ah feckin' swore I left a comment earlier!
Chicken & Map don't get along. I love the chucks but they do tayrable tings to me guts!
Nice receipt though! :¬)
xxx
Chicken with lemon is always a winner Pat, but I am surprised you used oil instead of goose fat for the roasties. A weightwatcher thing I am thinking?
For Chrissy dinner this year I am serving up three tasty birds with a twist. I do hope you and hubby will join us.
...I must remember to buy more sherry (lots more) if you do arrive.
Map: glad you came back and sorry about your chicken intolerance. Don't tell me you are fine with turkey. That would be odd.
Chef: what is that weird avatar? Probably some sacred Scottish football symbol of which I know nothing.
You are right about the WW olive oil.
Thank you for the kind invitation but we shall be lying low over the holiday period and it might tempt MTL to slip back into ould ways- with the libations You understand.
Now listen carefully I shall just say this just once. I do not drink sherry. Not since the embarrassing incident in Garlinge Road in the sixties. That's all I'm saying.
Cricklewood eh? Surely you cannae be THAT young lady, the famous Patricia of NW2 that made the papers back in the 60s? Good for you doll.
No wonder your oul fella used to drink hen!
I nearly forgot hen, your veg, I often place the meat or bird that I am going to roast on a fresh vegetable trivet that I know will be suitable to roast. The vegetables will impart their flavour and as a result the gravy after the meat has roasted has a greater depth of flavour. Remove the bulk of the veg and discard, add a smidge of plain flour and stir, scraping all the crusty roasty bits off the bottom, and mixing the flour into the remaining fat and juice. When the flour has browned slightly stir in 600ml good quality stock, a little at a time, season, and reduce for a few minutes until the gravy reaches that thick, opaque dark caramel which will make your mouth water.
The meat that is roasting should be kept slightly elevated and as such you will find that it allows the heat to circulate around the joint or bird, this will improve the cooking.
However, if you really want to guarantee a succulent bird this Cristmas, soak the fresh turkey for 24 hours in brine. Turn it every few hours then allow it to dry and pat it down with paper towels before prepping for the oven. Try it... it works!
Chef: thank you for the idea - I may well give it a go. The roasted veg I mean.
BTW do not make the mistake of thinking you are too old for a thick ear!
Happy Christmas!
YUMMMMMM! This sounds deeeeee-licious, my dear....If I still cooked, I would try it....(lol).
Post a Comment