Roast Chicken with Rosemary, Lemon and Honey

By ezunich

Ingredients

• 6 oz. rosemary sprigs (about 2 large or 4 small bunches), divided
• 2 4-lb. chickens
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbs honey
• 2 lemons, 1 halved, 1 sliced into eight 1/4" rounds
• 1 lb. shallots, peeled
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a large roasting pan with 3/4 of rosemary sprigs. Place chickens on top.

Whisk 1/2 cup oil, lemon juice, and honey in a small bowl to blend. Using your hands and beginning at the neck end of chicken, gently lift skin away from breast. Under skin of each chicken, rub 1/4 cup lemon mixture into meat. Drizzle remaining lemon mixture all over outside of chickens.

Place 1 lemon half and 1 shallot inside each chicken cavity; stuff with remaining rosemary sprigs, dividing equally. Season chickens allover with salt and pepper. Place remaining shallots around chickens; arrange 41emon rounds on top of each chicken. Drizzle shallots and lemon rounds with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil.

Roast chickens, basting frequently with pan juices, for 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425° and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165° and skin is deep golden and crispy, about 10 minutes longer.

Spoon pan juices over chickens, shallots, and lemon slices and serve in roasting pan.