Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Garlic Lemon-Pepper Chicken

Bianca is off at a soccer tournament in Cedar City over the next few days so she asked me, her mother, if I would post this recipe for her. Last fall, we started ordering free range chickens and turkeys from McDowell Family Farm.  I was in charge of the turkey last Thanksgiving and that was when I decided to do some research and buy a locally farmed free-range bird.  Check out their website to learn more but my family definitely thinks these birds are worth the extra cost.  Bianca researched some recipes and when she saw this one with 10 cloves of garlic, salt and lemon, we knew it was a winner!  And remember, don't waste anything. Use the carcass to make some chicken stock and then, use a little of that broth to make some homemade whole wheat dog biscuits (recipe to follow).

Ingredients:

1 chicken (3-5lbs)
2 lemons
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons of butter, softened
10 whole cloves of garlic, peeled

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Zest the lemons and mix it with 2 tsp. of salt and pepper then add to the softened butter. Mix with a fork until evenly mixed. Cut the lemons into quarters.
3. Wash chicken and pat dry. Salt the cavity with one tsp. of salt and place the lemon quarters and 5 of the garlic cloves in the cavity. Tie the legs together with twine.
4. Rub 1/2 of the butter mixture under the breast skin as evenly as possible. Place 5 garlic cloves under the skin. Rub remaining lemon butter mixture on the chicken.
5. Cook until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh registers 175F. Remove from oven, remove items in the cavity and tent with foil. Let rest for 5-20 minutes before carving.

Oh, and Bianca just called. Her team just won. Congratulations to the Red Hots and good luck on your game tomorrow.

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