Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (5 lb) roasting chickens

Recipe

• 1 peel and section lemons, reserving the peels. combine lemon sections, oregano, and next 5 ingredients (oregano through garlic) in a bowl, and mash with a fork.
• 2 immerse the top and bottom of a 2-quart clay cooking pot in water for 10 minutes. empty pot, and drain well.
• 3 remove and discard the giblets and neck from chicken. rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. trim excess fat. starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.
• 4 rub lemon mixture under and over the loosened skin. tie ends of legs together with cord. place lemon peel in body cavity.
• 5 place chicken, breast side up, in bottom of clay pot, and cover with top of clay pot.
• 6 place clay pot in cold oven, and set to 450°. bake chicken for 50 minutes, and remove top. (the chicken is done when a meat thermometer registers 180°.).
• 7 preheat the broiler. (do not move the oven rack.).
• 8 return chicken in pot to oven, and broil, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• 9 carefully remove clay pot from oven. remove chicken from clay pot. cover chicken loosely with foil; let stand for 10 minutes. discard skin.