LEMON GARLIC ROASTED CHICKEN

LEMON GARLIC ROASTED CHICKEN

Split chicken breasts were on sale at Whole Foods this past week, so I couldn’t resist the chance to make some more low and slow roasted chicken (because that Herb Roasted Chicken Breast that I made was SO good). This time, though, I wanted to try a different, yet classic, flavor combo. This Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken is incredibly simple, but seriously scrumptious!

This low and slow oven roasting technique creates a deliciously tender meat, similar to what you get with a rotisserie chicken (similar, but not exactly the same). It also creates a delicious pan juice that I like to spoon over the meat after slicing for even more flavor and moisture. It’s just to die for. But be aware, this recipe is specifically for “split breasts” which means the breast has bones, skin, and rib meat in tact. The only thing that has been done to this chicken breast is that it has been “split” into two pieces. Boneless skinless breasts will not work the same way. You can potentially do other bone-in, skin on cuts of chicken, but the cooking time will be different because of the size of the pieces. I’ve only done this technique with split breasts so far, so that is the only cut that I can really provide correct cooking times and temperatures for.

Once this chicken is roasted, I like to carve the meat from the bone, place it in a container, spoon the juices over top, and keep it on hand to use like rotisserie chicken. I use it to snack on, make quick wraps, or to add to salads.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small or 1 large lemon $0.30
• 1/3 cup olive oil $0.78
• 6 cloves garlic $0.48
• 1/4 tsp salt $0.02
• Freshly cracked pepper $0.05
• 2 lbs split chicken breasts* $4.77
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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 275ºF. Squeeze about 3 Tbsp lemon juice from the lemon(s) and slice the remainder. Mince two cloves of the garlic, and peel the remaining 4. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
2. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Place them in a glass or ceramic casserole dish. Pour the prepared lemon marinade over the chicken, using a spoon to redistribute the marinade and make sure the surface of the chicken is fully covered. Add the remaining cloves of peeled garlic and sliced lemon around the chicken. If you're sensitive to bitter flavors, add the additional lemon slices after baking. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
3. Roast the chicken in the preheated oven for 90 minutes. After 90 minutes, turn the oven up to 425ºF, remove the foil, and baste the chicken with the juices from the bottom of the dish. Return the chicken to the oven and roast for an additional 20 minutes without foil at 425ºF, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy.
4. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with the pan drippings spooned over top.

RECIPE NOTES

*Split chicken breasts are bone-in, skin-on, and rib meat attached.

Recipe Source:budgetbytes.com