Roast Lemon Chicken

Roast Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

• 3 lemons
• 1/4 cup(s) unsalted butter
• 1 (4-pound) whole chicken
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) (crushed) black peppercorns
• 6 clove(s) (large) garlic, crushed 

Directions

1. Heat oven to 500 degrees F. Zest and juice 1 lemon. Heat the lemon juice and the butter together in a small saucepan and set aside. Sprinkle the chicken cavity with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the crushed peppercorns. Gently slide two fingers under the skin of the breast and rub half of the zest and 1/8 teaspoon pepper onto the breast meat. Cut 1 lemon into quarters and place it and the garlic in the cavity. Tie the legs together with butcher's twine and season the outside of the bird with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place on a rack in a small roasting pan, and roast for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F. Quarter the remaining lemon and place it in the bottom of the pan. Continue to roast, basting with a brush every 15 minutes with the prepared lemon butter, until the meat between the thigh and body (avoid touching the bone) reaches 167 degrees F -- about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Let the chicken rest at least 15 minutes to allow the juice to settle before carving.