Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken

Show: Barefoot ContessaEpisode: Chicken Story

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (210)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(210)

Cook Time:
1 hr 35 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
3 to 4 servings

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 1 hr 35 min
Total:: 1 hr 55 min

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Ingredients

1 (5 to 6-pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
4 lemons
3 heads garlic, cut in 1/2 crosswise
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 pound sliced bacon
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, reserving enough thyme to garnish the chicken dish, 1 lemon, halved, and 2 halves of the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Cut 2 of the lemons in quarters and scatter the quarters and remaining garlic around the chicken. Lay the bacon slices over the chicken to cover.

Roast the chicken for 1 hour. Remove the bacon slices from the top of the chicken and set aside. Continue roasting the chicken for an additional 1/2 hour, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the gravy.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the bottom of the pan. Add the wine and chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until reduced by half.

Slice the chicken on a platter. Garnish the chicken platter with the bacon slices, roasted garlic, reserved thyme and 1 lemon, sliced. Serve with the gravy.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken
Caroline Boston, MA 11-02-2009
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Delicious! Would definitely make again!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I loved this chicken - it was perfectly cooked and the flavor was unbeatable. The only comment I have is, I made it with a... larger chicken (7 lbs) as we had a lot of people, and the garlic and lemon that was in the pan over cooked and the gravy was bitter because of it. Next time, I would put the garlic and lemon in when I removed the bacon slices, so they'd only be in the pan for an hour. The garlic and lemon in the chicken were cooked perfectly. Read more
recipe Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken
ang glendale, CA 10-19-2009
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Excellent!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This was the first time I've ever roasted a whole chicken and it came out perfect!! Very juicy and flavorful!!
recipe Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken
Bev Frankfort, IN 10-11-2009
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Classic "Ina" - absolutely fabulous!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I first made this recipe for New Year's Eve 2004, sharing with family friends who are used to me serving a 'first time... recipe'. As I was roasting the chicken this afternoon, I was reminded how fabulous it was and wanted to be sure to post a review. Didn't have any problems with the garlic or lemon in the bottom of my pan so it may be the type of roasting pan being used? Either way, the chicken and the sauce is delicious. Thanks again, Ina!Read more
recipe Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken
Jennifer Cary, NC 10-11-2009
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Loved It!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Next time we'll put more garlic in the pan and pull it out sooner than the chicken. The lemons in the pan were too burnt,... we'll either skip that or pull them out sooner. The chicken was incredibly moist and the flavor was wonderful. Read more
recipe Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken
ROBERT Dubuque, IA 10-10-2009
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The only way to cook chicken
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Awesome
recipe Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken
Lyndsey Kingsville, TX 09-22-2009
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Absolutely Delicious!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I love all of Ina's recipes, and figured this one would be no exception. First, I love to cook, and cook all the time, and... this recipe was so incredibly easy! Not time-consuming at all, but even if it was, that still wouldn't stop me from making it. It was so tasty and wonderful. I cook every night for my husband and he said this was one of his favorites (and that is saying a lot for him!) The only thing I did differently was use olive oil instead of butter (because I did not have any butter in the house). But I can't see that making much of a difference. The flavors together work so well together, Ina is a genius! From the gravy, to chicken to roasted garlic - yum, yum, yum! (Next time I will serve with bread for the roasted garlic bulbs in there!)Read more