When Something New for I Do teamed up with Center Cut Catering (among other vendor friends) for a farm-to-table inspired shoot, which graced the blog pages of Smitten Magazine, I fell in love with this Lemon and Herb Roasted Chicken recipe. The best part of this styled shoot was that the team got to feast on the beautiful meal afterwards. That’s my kind of photo shoot! This recipe has since become a staple in my kitchen, as well as a go to in my newlywed cook book to impress the hubby.
Photo: Kelly Berry Photography
Newlywed Cook Book: Lemon and Herb Roasted Chicken
One small chicken
4 sprigs fresh thyme or sage
Thin lemon slices
Salt
1/4 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
A little water
Prepping the chicken:
Seasoning the chicken (1 to 3 days before serving). Remove and discard anything inside the chicken. Then, rinse the chicken and pat dry inside and out.
Approaching from the edge of the cavity, slide a finger under the skin of each of the breasts. Then, make 2 little pockets. Now use the tip of your finger to gently loosen a pocket of skin on the outside of the thickest section of each thigh. Using your finger, shove an herb sprig and lemon slice into each of the 4 pockets.
Season the chicken liberally all over with salt and the pepper. Next, sprinkle a little of the salt just inside the cavity, on the backbone, but don’t otherwise worry about seasoning the inside. Twist and tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders. Finally, cover loosely and refrigerate.
Preheat the oven to 475°F. (Depending on the size, efficiency, and accuracy of your oven, and the size of your bird, you may need to adjust the heat to as high as 500°F or as low as 450°F during the course of roasting the chicken to get it to brown properly.)
Choose a shallow flameproof roasting pan or dish barely larger than the chicken, or use a 10-inch skillet with an all-metal handle. Preheat the pan over medium heat. Set the chicken breast side up in the pan. It should sizzle. Place in the center of the oven and listen and watch for it to start sizzling and browning within 20 minutes. If it doesn’t, raise the temperature progressively until it does. The skin should blister, but if the chicken begins to char, or the fat is smoking, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees. After about 30 minutes, turn the bird over. Roast for another 10 to 20 minutes, depending on size, then flip back over to recrisp the breast skin, another 5 to 10 minutes. Total oven time will be 45 minutes to an hour.
Big heads of roasted garlic are a wonderful acompaniment as well. Slice whole heads of garlic in half and sprinkle the cut sides with salt and olive oil. Wrap them tightly in parchment and foil and throw them in the oven for about 20 minutes with the chicken. They are done when the garlic inside is soft and spreadable like butter!
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Stay tuned for more recipes coming soon to the Something New for I Do blog!
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