Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken

Whenever I need to cook a family feast for special occasions like Easter, I love to roast. It takes the pressure away from the cook, just throw everything into the roasting pan, wait for several hours and it's done. While you are roasting your special dish, you can work on your side dishes or relax, it's fully up to you.

Tonight, I am cooking Easter Dinner at my Nai Nai's house. I love cooking with my Nai Nai, as we get to chat and laugh about anything that comes to our mind. I have decided to roast a chicken, something different than the usual roast turkey or prime ribs.

Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken is a simple recipe, that requires no marinating over night, no fuss about prepping anything. Few simple ingredients that make this rustic dish so wonderful. I have added a bag of fingerling potatoes underneath the chicken, so it won't stick to the roasting pan and with that, you already have one side dish, you can tick off your list.

Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken, adjusted and adapted by Ina Garten

1 (5 to 6-pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
4 lemons
3 heads garlic, cut in 1/2 crosswise
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 pound sliced bacon
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock

Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Step 2:

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.

Step 3:

Stuff the cavity with the thyme, reserving enough thyme to garnish the chicken dish, 1 lemon, halved, and 2 halves of the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper.

Step 4:

Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Cut 2 of the lemons in quarters and scatter the quarters and remaining garlic around the chicken. Lay the bacon slices over the chicken to cover.

Step 5:

Roast the chicken for 1 hour. Remove the bacon slices from the top of the chicken and set aside. Continue roasting the chicken for an additional 1/2 hour, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the gravy.

Step 6:

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the bottom of the pan. Add the wine and chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until reduced by half.

Step 7:

Slice the chicken on a platter. Garnish the chicken platter with the bacon slices, roasted garlic, reserved thyme and 1 lemon, sliced. Serve with the gravy.

Enjoy !