Meyer Lemon Roasted Chicken with Herbs
Have you ever heard of the expression, “Be careful what you wish for?” In these times of instant gratification, I think the new saying should “Be careful what you Tweet about!”
Remember all of the Meyer Lemon gifting from Kim at Rustic Garden Bistro? She was shipping Meyer Lemons all over the place, so of course, there was much twittering and posting on Facebook concerning this situation.
In the midst of all of this excitement, I was also tweeting about Meyer Lemons and suddenly noticed that Dandy Fresh Produce started following me on Twitter.
To make a long story short, Dandy Fresh Produce (also known as Duda Farm Fresh Foods) said they would send me some Meyer Lemons and of course, I said sure! I’d be more than happy (I would be ecstatic!) to take some of those bad boys off your hands. You know how much we love Meyer Lemons at the Bunkycooks! 🙂
Well, I am thinking something like the size of a box of clementines will be arriving shortly filled with Meyer Lemons, but oh, no…we got the crate of Meyer Lemons AND the clementine size box with even more Meyer Lemons! They must have thought we had a restaurant called Bunkycooks!
So, I quickly got to work on those gorgeous lemons…they truly were the biggest, juiciest and most perfect Meyer Lemons we have ever seen!
I am sure you are now wondering what on Earth I have done with all of these lemons. Well, let me tell you…I have made three batches of Limoncello with three different recipes and will let you know how they all turn out months from now. I’ve got a little moonshine brewing in my basement. 😉
I also made more Preserved Meyer Lemons and Meyer Lemon Curd (lots of that yummy stuff!). I made Meyer Lemon infused olive oil and have been working on recipes using that ingredient (more to come!). I have frozen lots of cubes of juice so that I can have Meyer Lemon juice any old time I want it and still have a few left to work with this weekend!
However, one of my favorite things I have prepared with the Meyer Lemons so far is this roast chicken. We adore roast chicken and eat it so many times a week that we may soon grow feathers! are almost chicken experts. In other words, we know our roast chickens!
This recipe is a total keeper! The smell of Meyer Lemons and herbs filled the house (on a really chilly night!) If you are not familiar with Meyer Lemons, they are a cross between a regular lemon and a Mandarin Orange, so the combination of those two citrus fruits is really something extraordinary. This chicken was incredibly moist and had just a delightful and subtle flavor of Meyer Lemons and herbs. It truly was one of the best roast chickens we have had!
Be sure to use an organic chicken (like Bell & Evans), if possible. It does make a difference in the preparation and results of the recipe.
Keep posted for more Meyer Lemon dishes to come!
Enjoy!
Meyer Lemon Roasted Chicken with Herbs
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 organic fresh chicken (such as Bell & Evans) 3 1/2 to 4 pounds
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, cut into quarters
1 large Meyer Lemon, cut into quarters
1 celery stalk, cut into for pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons Meyer Lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary, plus 2 whole sprigs
1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme, plus 2 whole sprigs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and pat dry chicken with paper towels. Salt and pepper the inside cavity of the chicken as well as the outside of the bird. Set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare the baking pan. Spray a cooking rack and a shallow baking pan with cooking spay. Set the rack inside of the pan (a V-rack works best).
Place the onion, Meyer Lemon, celery, 2 sprigs of rosemary and 2 sprigs of thyme inside the cavity of the chicken. Truss the bird, if you would like. (I did not truss my bird.) .
Whisk together the Meyer Lemon juice, olive oil, chopped rosemary and chopped thyme. Brush the mixture, with a pastry brush, all over the chicken, beginning with the underneath of the chicken and finish with the breast side up. Place chicken, breast side up, in the prepared V-rack and pan.
Cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes. *Check the temperature of the chicken at this point. The breast should be at 157 degrees before removing from the oven (and 167 degrees in between the leg and the thigh).
Once you have achieved that temperature, remove from the oven and let sit 10-15 minutes to rest. The chicken will continue to cook and the temperature should rise to about 160 degrees (in the breast) and 170 (in the thigh) for a properly cooked chicken.
Slice or section the chicken and serve immediately.
Wow… that’s a lot of lemons!!! I’d have been struggling with ideas of things to make with so many. I’ve never roasted a chicken before – yours looks scrumptious!
Look at all of those meyer lemons! Can’t begin to tell you how jealous I am! This recipe is a fantastic way to use them!
That is a beautiful bird! I bet it tasted pretty good too. All of those lemons, wow!
What a FABULOUS idea, to freeze the juice for future use! I’m going to get one more batch (lucky to have local TX options here in Austin!!)
I just posted my winter citrus round up, I’ll add a link to your great post there, too. http://hipgirlshome.com/blog/2011/1/28/sprucing-up-your-winter-kitchen-fun-ways-to-use-citrus.html
Thanks!
Kate
I bet you’re rolling in sunshine now! We just bought a new roasting pan/rack, so i will definitely give some roast chickens a try. You can slip one of those jars of lemon curd in your suitcase next month if you’d like 😉
There must be something wonderful to do with the unsliced lemons that baked inside of the bird. Any ideas?
Hi Barbara,
I am sure that you could make a gravy or a glaze with it if there are enough pan drippings. I actually did not have much in the way of drippings. Luckily, the juices stayed in the bird.
Gwen
Wow, that is a meyer lemon cache! Congrats! I love lemon roasted chicken, Gwen, it’s the only way I make it. 🙂
WOW, I am so jealous of everything you have made. That looks like heaven to me, lucky girl! Lovely recipe.
Such a beautiful chicken! Seriously, if you need someone to take some of those lemons off of your hands, you can send some to me:)
Oh wow, that’s amazing. I’m jealous too, but so, so happy for you. What a windfall of perfection. Thank you for showing all the beautiful things you made with the lemons, especially that chicken. It’s gorgeous.
now I would say you got a lot of lemons, and that is a good thing…. so much to do, and you did so much, the infused oil is just great but that bird is perfection and as I gazed at it and then read the recipe, oh my…. gonna be on my table soon, maybe with some local fruit
Wow, that is a whole lotta lemons! I actually stopped by for your sausage and saffron rice recipe and saw this. You really did about everything that one can do with lemons – thanks for all the great ideas, you’ll be enjoying those lovely Meyers for the rest of the year 🙂
Woo hoo Gwen you hit the lemon jackpot! Wish I had a few of those right now, I’m fixin’ to bake something… for sure it would be lemon if I was in your kitchen!!! The chicken looks great, really great. Oh I do love chicken.
Have a great weekend 🙂
Wow, now that is a lot of lemons! Your chicken looks perfect. You did a great job at using those up. I’m sure you already knew this but just in case you didn’t, you can zest your citrus and freeze the zest. I learned that this summer and it is a great thing for me because I live 20 mi. from any grocery store. BTW isn’t that lemon curd wonderful 🙂
Meyer Lemon Roasted Chicken with Herbs, lemoncello, lemon curd, infused olive oil! Talk about putting those lemons to use! I think freezing the juice is a great way to save some for later! Thank you for all of the ideas — I have some meyer lemons that I need to put to use now!
Oh my…lemons galore! I can’t believe you received so many…but how many great recipes you’ve been able to make. This lemon roasted chicken looks so moist and flavorful. I wish I had a piece to enjoy tonight. I hope you are having a good weekend with friends and family. Thank you for sharing with me tonight! Many blessings in the week to come.
I love it all Gwen – the Meyer lemon curd, preserves, flavoured oil, that gorgeous roast chicken! Even the Meyer ice cubes *sigh* You lucky girl, I am jealous *sniff*
What a glorious gift!! I love all the delectable things you made with your lemons. The jars look so bright and cheery! Mmm, I adore roast chicken too and your photos have me craving it something fierce. 🙂
That’s a whole lot of Meyer lemons! I too have preserved some, made Meyer lemon dust, and some finishing salt. –And of course the martinis~
Your roast chicken must have had the house smelling fantastic.
Oh My! I wish someone would send me box of these beauties! 🙂 I love your idea about freezing the meyer lemon juice in ice trays…genius! 🙂 Roasted chicken looks superb!
Whoa! So many lemons. Have any extras? Send them this way! The chicken does look great though. So tender and perfect.
You are seriously up to your eyeballs in Meyer lemons!!!! We do a roast chicken with the EXACT same ingredients, too. Delicious every time.
[K]
P.S. Can’t wait to see how the limoncello comes out!
Hi Kim,
We are dying to find out about the Limoncello, too! With three batches in the waiting game…it is pretty crazy…I’m waiting to get shut down by the cops any day now! 😉
We are still months away…will keep you posted.
Gwen
That chicken looks spectacular, and the lemons couldn’t be any more beautiful. I’ve got to go and get some ASAP.
OH WOW I would love to have all those Meyer Lemons (even just 1/2 of that box) to use as well! I love love love chicken roasted with lemons -the only way we’ll eat it over here. I’d love to have some lemon curd as well. There is just NOTHING like a good Meyer Lemon!
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