Chicken

[mos]

Chicken

1 whole chicken
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 whole lemons — including 1, sliced, for garnish
1 tbs kosher or coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Fresh herbs, for garnish — 4 sprigs rosemary, 4 sprigs sage, 8 sprigs thyme and 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley

Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven, and preheat the oven to 400°. Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place it breast-side down in a medium roasting pan fitted with a rack, and pour the lemon juice all over the chicken, both inside and out. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper inside and out.
With a fork, prick 2 whole lemons three times each in three different places, and place them deep inside the chicken cavity. Cavity size may vary, so if one lemon is partially sticking out, that’s fine.
Put the chicken in the oven, lower the temperature to 350°, and roast the chicken, uncovered, for 15 min.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs or two wooden spoons, turn the chicken breast-side up. Insert a meat thermometer into the thigh, and return the chicken to the oven. Roast for about 1 hr to 1 hr and 15 min or until the meat thermometer reads 180° and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Continue roasting if necessary. Keep in mind that cooking times vary in different ovens. Roasting a chicken at 350° takes approximately 18 to 20 min per pound, plus an additional 15 min.
Let the chicken rest for 10 min before carving. And here’s the secret: Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken—this is the “marry me juice.” Garnish with lemon slices and fresh herbs. Serves 2-4

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