Simple Roast or Grilled Lemon Chicken
This recipe promises a symphony of flavors as the chicken absorbs the zesty essence of lemons during a relaxing brining process, resulting in juicy and succulent poultry that will surely captivate your taste buds.
Ingredients
Brine
- 5 lemons, halved
- 6 bay leaves
- 1/2 bunch (4 ounces) flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 bunch (1 ounce) thyme
- 1/4 cup clover honey
- 1 head garlic, halved through the equator
- 1/8 cup black peppercorns
- 1 cup (10 ounces) kosher salt
- 1 gallon water
- Canola oil
- Kosher salt
Equipment
- Stockpot
- Container
For the Roasted Chicken
- 1 whole chicken, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
- 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered
- 2 large leeks, trimmed and cut in half
- 4 carrots, trimmed and cut in half
- 2 small onion, quartered
- 8 small red-skinned potatoes, halved
- Clarified butter
- 1 lemon, sliced
Equipment
- Parchment-lined cutting board
- Paring knife
- Abrasive green scrub pad
- Kitchen twine
- Kitchen shears
- Roasting pan
- Meat thermometer
- Chef’s knife
Instructions
Brine
1. Mix all of the brine ingredients and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and let cool, then pour into a container large enough to hold both the brine and the chicken and cool in the refrigerator until chilled.
2. Prepare the chicken. Remove the neck and innards if they are still in the cavity of the chicken. Using a paring knife, cut out the wishbone from the chicken—this will make it easier to carve the chicken. Submerge the chicken in the cold brine for 8 to 12 hours.
3. When done brining, remove the chicken and truss to ensure even cooking. Discard the brine.
4. Leave the brined, trussed chicken uncovered in the refrigerator for two days. Doing so removes moisture from the skin and allows it to crisp beautifully during roasting.
5. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until it comes to room temperature.
6. Prepare the vegetables.
8. Roast. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Brush the chicken with clarified butter and season all sides with salt. Make a nest in the center of the vegetables and nestle the chicken in it. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400°F and roast for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, or until the temperature registers 160°F in the meatiest portions of the bird—the thighs, and under the breast where the thigh meets the breast—and the juices run clear where the leg joint meets the thigh. If necessary, return the bird to the oven for more roasting; check it every 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
9. Just before serving, set the pan of vegetables over medium heat and reheat the vegetables, turning them to coat with the pan juices. Finish with a squeeze of lemon. Carve the chicken into serving pieces, arrange over the vegetables, finish with grey sea salt, and serve.