Roasted Lemon Chicken

Roasted Lemon Chicken

Rao’s Lemon Chicken is legendary. This is my take on that iconic dish.

Using chicken pieces, it starts in the pan and is finished in a 450 degree oven with shallots, garlic, lemon juice, chicken stock, and lemon zest…garnished with parsley. oregano, and lemon zest.

Try to find a 3-4 pound chicken cut into split breasts (cut in half), 2 thighs, 2 drums all with the skin on.

Ingredients:

– 1 (3-4 pound) chicken, cut into 2 split breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drums, cut the breasts in half

– Kosher salt and black pepper

– Canola oil

– 2 tbsp unsalted butter

– 1 medium shallot, diced

– 2 garlic cloves, thin sliced

– 4 tbsp flour

– 2 cups chicken broth

– 1/4 cup lemon juice

– 3 tbsp lemon zest, divided

– 2 tbsp chopped parsley

– 2 tbsp fresh chopped oregano or 1 tbsp dry

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Directions:

1 – Completely dry then season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tsp canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken skin side down and brown for 5-6 minutes. Remove the breasts and set aside. Turn the the thighs and drums and brown another 4 minutes, turning the drums halfway again to brown all 4 sides. Remove the pieces to a plate. Preheat oven to 450.

2 – Drain oil from skillet. Turn down the heat then add the butter, shallots, and garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.

3 – Whisk in the chicken broth and simmer until beginning to thicken, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and zest and simmer another 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

4 – Add browned chicken pieces back to skillet skin side up with any juices from the plate. Place in the oven uncovered for about 15 minutes until the internal temperature of the breasts are 165 and the thighs are 180. Remove skillet from the the oven and let rest for 15 minutes in the skillet. Drink a glass of Chardonnay.

5- Remove chicken to a plate. Combine parsley, oregano, and lemon zest. Add to skillet. Turn heat to medium and whisk to emulsify everything.

6 – Place the chicken in a large flat bowl and add about half the pan sauce. Place the rest of the sauce in a bowl at the table. Place chicken pieces in the bowl and garnish with rest of the parsley mixture.

7 – Serve with buttered eggs noodles or rice.