Lemon Heaven

It's day two of my Meyer Lemon cooking extravaganza.  I went back to Walmart and I bought two more bags of Meyer Lemons because I already have literally dozens of recipes that I want to make with them.  I spent some time searching the internet for Meyer Lemon recipes and I was absolutely giddy looking at all of the options for this juicy little fruit.  I felt like a kid in a candy store trying to decide which one to try first.  The winner - Meyer Lemon and Garlic Roasted Chicken from Food and Wine magazine.  I took quite a few liberties with the recipe so my chicken came out looking quite differently than the one pictured on the website. 

Lemon and Garlic Roasted Chicken
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
zest from 1 Meyer Lemon
salt and pepper

1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
5 cloves garlic, smashed
8 springs of fresh thyme
1 Meyer lemon sliced thinly
1/2 cup water

 Rinse chicken and pat dry.

 

Combine first 6 ingredients and rub under skin and on top of chicken.

  

Place on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side up and place onion, garlic. lemon, thyme and water in the bottom of the pan. 

 

Roast 30 minutes at 425, covered.

 

Flip chicken over and roast 20 minutes longer without the lid on the pan.

Remove the pan from the oven and place lemon slices on top.  Return to oven for 10 minutes.

I made this chicken early in the afternoon, let it cool, wrapped it in foil and put it in the refrigerator.  After a particularly busy evening, I came home and warmed this chicken, threw together a Meyer Lemon vinaigrette salad and dinner was served.  I thought it had a nice bright lemony flavor but my family wasn't  a huge fan of the chicken.  They thought the texture of the chicken was a little "off" but I really think that it was a chicken issue and not a cooking issue.  On a positive note, I have lots of lemon chicken leftover to put in my salads for lunch next week.

Ciao!



Lemon and Garlic Roasted Chicken
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
zest from 1 Meyer Lemon
salt and pepper

1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
5 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 cup water

Rinse chicken and pat dry.  Combine first 6 ingredients and rub under skin and on top of chicken.

Place on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side up and place onion, garlic. lemon, thyme and water in the bottom of the pan.  Roast 30 minutes at 425, covered.  Flip chicken over and roast 20 minutes longer, uncovered.  Remove the pan from the oven and place lemon slices on top.  Return to oven for 10 minutes.