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Lemon Chicken Oven-Roasted
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Keyword: chicken, lemon, roasted
Author: recipe by Ina Garten
Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
  • 1/3 cup good olive oil
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lemon, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced thick
  • 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 4-pound chicken, backbone removed and butterflied
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • juice of 1 lemon
Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 

  2. Place the thyme, fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor and process until ground.

  3. Pour the olive oil into a small glass measuring cup, stir in the herb mixture, and set aside.

  4. Distribute the lemon slices in a 12-inch cast iron skillet and distribute the onion and garlic on top. Place the chicken, skin side down, on top of the onion and brush with about half the oil and herb mixture. Turn the chicken skin side up, pat it dry with paper towels (very important!), and brush it all over with the rest of the oil and herb mixture.

  5. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes. Pour the wine into the pan (not on the chicken!) and roast for another 15-30 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155 to 160 degrees.

  6. Remove the chicken from the oven, sprinkle it with the lemon juice, cover the skillet tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. 

  7. Cut the chicken in quarters or eighths, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with the pan juices, cooked lemon, and onion.

Recipe Notes
  • although I haven't made it with other types of chicken, I think you could use split chicken breasts with bone-in and the skin on, chicken thighs with bone-in or boneless (have more dark meat and may not dry out as much as breast meat),
  • you could use boneless, skinless chicken breasts but I would add a little extra liquid in addition to the wine added about halfway through cooking.
  • you can substitute chicken broth for the wine and add extra if using cuts of meat without skin or off the bone.  
  • the only change I made to Ina Garten's recipe is the cooking time after the addition of the wine from 10-15 min to 15-30 min.  Monitor the meat temperature with a meat thermometer to determine the right timing.