Cold Night, Hot Meal: Lemon Roasted Chicken

Brrrr, it’s cold out around here in DC! 

One of my favorite cold weather dinners is whole roasted chicken. When I was growing up, this was my favorite dish that my mom made; I even would request it when I came home from college on breaks. Little did I know just how easy it was! Whole roasted chicken can feed you for several meals and you can use the bones to make homemade chicken stock.

The ingredients are pretty simple, mostly spices from my pantry.

After removing the giblets, I stuffed the inside with lemon halves and garlic, brushed olive oil over the outside of the bird, seasoned with a bunch of spices, and topped with lots of lemon slices.

Let me tell ya, this smells great while its cooking!

Since the oven was already on, I served the chicken with some roasted brussels sprouts and parsnips. Yummm!

The chicken came out so juicy with a subtle taste of lemon, and I love that I have leftovers for at least a couple more meals! I’ll have to make chicken stock next for a good soup. Any suggestions? What is your favorite food to eat in the winter?

Lemon Roasted Chicken
Ingredients:
-1 small roasting chicken, about 5-6 lbs
-4 lemons, 2 halved and 2 sliced
-3-4 cloves of garlic
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tsp black pepper
-1 tsp dried thyme
-1 tsp dried oregano
-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
-1 tsp garlic salt
-1 tsp onion powder

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. On a rack over a roasting pan or sheet tray, prep chicken by removing giblets and flipping the wing tips underneath the bird to prevent burning.
2. Place lemon halves and whole garlic inside cavity of chicken.
3. Brush oil over the outside of the chicken.
4. Season with remaining spices and top with lemon slices.
5. Place tray into oven. Every 30 minutes, brush chicken with juices at the bottom of the pan. The chicken will roast for about 1 1/2 hrs, until the juices run clear when cut between the leg and breast and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Serve immediately and enjoy!