Split Roasted Chicken with Lemon Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) chicken, giblets and cavity fat removed
• Coarse grained salt and cracked black pepper
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice *see note
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped parsley, for garnish
• Note: if you don't like super-lemony lemon chicken ? use 3/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 chicken broth or water

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Put the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Using a sharp knife or poultry scissors, cut through bones on either side of backbone. Remove and backbone (save for soup stock). Place chicken breast side up on cutting board. Flatten chicken by placing the heel of your hand over the breastbone and pressing down firmly. Season chicken generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight or let stand at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Roast chicken, rotating once, for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 325 degrees F and cook 15 minutes more or until an instant read thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 160 degrees F, or until juices run clear.

While chicken is roasting make the lemon sauce. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the chicken from the oven and place on a cutting board. Cut chicken into pieces. Pour the fat off the broiler pan, leaving the solids. Add chicken back to pan. Pour lemon sauce over the chicken and place the pan back in oven and cook for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve over rice.

Tip: Listen, your doctor would roll her eyes if she knew you were cooking chicken with the skin on but chicken has skin. That's the way they sell it and unless you're a master butcher, it's hard to get off. That said, just because it's there doesn't mean you should eat it. Don't.

Tip: The recipe works perfectly fine with a whole chicken cut in half, quarters, eighths, or any which way. If you're cooking for one, cut the recipe down and the cook time too.

Morph: Chicken wraps, chicken tacos, chicken salad, chicken sandwich...

Tip: If you're the least bit apprehensive about cutting up a hot chicken, buy it cut up or cut it up yourself before you cook it.