Blackened Roast Chicken

By charlotteh371

Ingredients

• 1 (2 1/2 - 3 lbs) organic whole chicken
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. onion powder
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• (from about 2 lemons)
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1/2 bunch fresh thyme sprigs
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 small shallot, chopped

Preparation

Step 1

preheat oven to 375. remove chicken giblets, and save for another use or discard. pat chicken dry with a paper towel, and place in a small roasting pan. Stir together paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, lemon zest and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl. add lemon halves and thyme, and toss to coat.

heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium. add shallot and cook, stirring often until tender, 3 to 4mins. add shallot and oil to seasoning mixture; stir to combine.

Remove lemon halves and thyme from seasoning mixture and place in cavity of chicken. rub remaining seasoning mixture over chicken and under skin of the breasts.

Roast chicken in oven until thermometer inserted in the thickest part of thigh registers 165, 50 to 55mins.

remove chicken from oven. remove the thyme and lemons from cavity. squeeze lemons over chicken ad garnish with the thyme. let chicken rest 10 mins before carving. serve with roasted vegetables if desired.