Chicken with Lemon Potatoes

By ctaubenheim

Ingredients

• 1 (4lb) whole chicken
• 1 medium bunch fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced (1 cup)
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 lemons, zested (1 reserved)
• 5 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, very thinly sliced
• coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 3/4 lbs. small to medium potatoes, quartered lengthwise
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley leaves, trimmed (1 1/2 packed cups)

Details

Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 70mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450 with rack set in middle. Remove any excess fat around chicken cavities and discard; rinse chicken and pat dry, inside and out. In a small bowl, combine basil, butter, lemon zest, garlic and scallions. Starting a chicken's neck, slide hands under skin, carefully loosening skin on breasts and thighs. Spread butter mixture, about 1 Tbsp at a time, between loosened skin and meat, taking care not to tear skin. Rub hands over skin to spread mixture into crevices. Season chicken (inside and out) with salt and pepper, then tie legs together with kitchen string. In a large bowl, toss potatoes with oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and enough pepper to coat well. Cut reserved lemon into quarters and set 3 aside. Heat roasting pan in oven for 10 minutes. Remove; then put potatoes and any oil left in bowl into pan, keeping potatoes in a single layer and pushed to edges to make room for chicken. Place chicken in pan, breast side up. Roast chicken for 20 minutes, then remove pan from oven and turn bird breast side down. Continue to roast for 20 more minutes, then remove pan from oven and turn bird breast side up again. Sprinkle parsley over potatoes, then stir to coat with pan drippings. Squeeze reserved lemon over chicken and put rinds into pan. Continue to roast until juices of chicken run clear when thigh is pierced with a fork, or an instant read thermometer inserted in breast reaches 160, 20-30 minutes. Remove pan from oven; let chicken rest for 15 minutes before transferring to a cutting board. Let rest for 5 more minutes, serve with potatoes and roasted lemon.

Calories: 587
Total Fat: 43g
Carbs: 29g
Sodium: 329mg
Cholesterol: 184mg