Rosemary Lemon Chicken
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Start at least 3 hours before you want to serve this.
INGREDIENTS
1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
2 large lemons
1 bunch fresh rosemary (or used dried)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 pounds small red potatoes
2 (9-ounce) packages frozen green beans, thawed and drained (fresh and canned is okay)Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove giblets and neck from chicken, reserve for something else. (I throw mine in a Ziplock bag along with peelings, etc. from vegetables to make stock). Rinse chicken, drain and pat dry. Working with chicken breast side up, fold wings toward neck, then fold up and under back of chicken so they stay in place.
Cut lemon in half, squeeze enough juice from one half of lemon to make 1 tablespoon, cut remaining lemons into large chunks (you can use reconstituted lemon juice and substitute limes for the chunks of lemon.)
Place lemon chunks and 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried) inside cavity of chicken. With string, tie legs and tail together. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of meat between breast and thigh (I don't do this, I use an instant meat thermometer), being careful not to touch thermometer to bone. Place chicken, breast side up, on rack just large enough to hold chicken in large open roasting pan.
In a cup, mix 2 tablespoons fresh minced rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried), 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. With a pastry brush, brush chicken with this mixture.
IF FREEZING BEFORE COOKING...freeze at this point and continue on after defrosting...
Cut each potato in half. Place potatoes around rack in roasting pan, drizzle with the 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 3 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat well.
Roast chicken in 350 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting chicken and potatoes with pan dripping occasionally. When chicken turns golden, cover loosely with a tent of foil.
Add green beans to roasting pan, toss with potatoes. Roast 1 hour longer, basting chicken and vegetables occasionally with pan drippings, or until meat thermometer reaches 175 to 180 degrees. Remove foil during last of roasting and brush chicken again with pan drippings for attractive sheen.
TO FREEZE AFTER COOKING - Package, label, date and freeze.
Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Warm in microwave or in oven.
TO SERVE - Place chicken on large platter, remove string. Arrange potatoes and green beans around chicken. Garnish with fresh rosemary before serving.
Makes about 8 servings