Overview
Roast chicken with roasted potatoes or stuffing and vegetable casseroles make comfort food fit for cold winter weeknights. Roast chicken does not have to be complicated, though. Forget the heavy stuffing and cut down on salt by using favorite Mediterranean seasonings for roast chicken that's equally appropriate for mid-winter dinners or summer cookouts.Chicken
Free-range or barnyard-raised, younger 3- to 4-lb. broiler-fryers contain less fat per pound than 6- to 8-lb. roasters. Younger birds are more tender and flavorful than older birds and birds with more fat must be cleaned carefully to minimize spatters and dripping fat that can cause flare-ups when roasting on an open fire or barbecue. Fresh chickens are pink, not gray, with intact skin covering the bird. Bloated birds may be injected with water to increase their weight and improve shelf life. A four-hour soak in a brine solution will draw out extra water but will not restore flavor.
Preparation
Cook chicken as soon as possible after purchase. Thaw frozen chicken in the refrigerator, never on the counter, and use separate dishes for raw poultry and other ingredients. Place cut lemons in a bowl and assemble ingredients and put olive oil, crushed and pre-mixed spices for the rub such as salt, pepper and thyme in bowls. Assembling ingredients is convenient and also minimizes contact between handling of raw poultry and storage containers -- bowls and plates used during preparation can go into the dishwasher or the sink with hot, soapy water. Rinse raw chicken and pat it dry with paper towels, inside and out.
Kotopolou Fournou
Basic Greek lemon chicken involves rubbing cut lemons over the chicken, and rubbing inside and out with salt, pepper and garlic. Add other spices, such as Greek oregano or rosemary according to taste. Tuck a few slices of the lemon under the neck flap and place the rest of the cut lemons in the main cavity. Place the bird in a roasting pan or stand upright on a roaster rack and drizzle the entire bird with olive oil. Roast in a barbecue for approximately one hour or place in an oven for 15 minutes at 450 degrees F, and reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and roast the bird for an hour to 1-1/2 hours until the temperature on a rapid-read meat thermometer inserted into the breast-side of the thigh registers 160 to 165 degrees F.
Variations
Add other spices such as parsley, thyme or dill to the rub for the bird. Lemon and olive oil also form a base for exotic blends such as cumin, allspice, and cardamom for chicken served with couscous. As an alternative to rubs, try gently sliding the hand between skin and flesh, then inserting lemon slices that have been coated with salt, pepper and spices under the skin. Add quartered potatoes and baby carrots to the pan and toss once in the garlicky olive oil as the chicken cooks to have a side dish ready with the chicken.
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