Lemon-Thyme Whole Roasted Chicken
Prep: 40 minutes plus standing
Roast: 1 hour 30 minutes • Serves: 8
1-1/2 large lemons, juiced (about 6 tablespoons), 2 squeezed lemon halves reserved
3 tablespoons Food Club® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme plus 3 sprigs
1-1/2 teaspoons plus 1/8 teaspoon Food Club® Coarse Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Food Club® Black Pepper
1 whole roasting chicken (about 5 to 6 pounds)
1 cup Food Club® 33% Less Sodium Chicken Broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1. Preheat oven to 450°; place rack in roasting pan. In small bowl, whisk 1 garlic clove, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, oil, lemon zest, chopped thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. Remove giblets from chicken cavity; discard. Pat chicken dry with paper towel; place, breast side up, on rack in prepared pan. Add 1 garlic clove, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, reserved lemon halves, thyme sprigs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper into chicken cavity; brush oil mixture over chicken skin. Tie chicken legs together with kitchen string.
3. Roast chicken 30 minutes or until outside is browned. Reduce heat to 375°; roast 1 hour or until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reaches 165° and juices run clear. Transfer chicken to cutting board; loosely tent with aluminum foil and let stand 15 minutes.
4. Skim off and discard excess fat in roasting pan. Stir in broth and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan with wooden spoon; transfer to medium saucepot. Add remaining 1 garlic clove and heat to a simmer over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. In small bowl, whisk cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water; whisk into pan and simmer 1 minute or until slightly thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Strain sauce through fine-mesh strainer, if desired. Makes about 1-1/4 cups sauce.
5. Serve chicken with sauce.
Approximate nutritional values per serving (about 5 ounces chicken, 2-1/2 tablespoons sauce): 406 Calories, 25g Fat, 6g Saturated Fat, 131mg Cholesterol, 583mg Sodium,
1g Carbohydrates, 0g Fiber, 0g Sugars, 0g Added Sugars, 41g Protein
Chef Tip:
Deglazing is the process of adding a liquid to a pan in which meat has been roasted or sautéed and removed from the pan. The liquid is heated to release the highly flavorful brown bits on the bottom of the pan, also known as fond, to form the base of a sauce.