Description
Barefoot Contessa’s Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken delivers Mediterranean sunshine on a plate. Fragrant herbs, zesty citrus, and golden-crisp skin make this simple yet elegant dish a perfect weeknight dinner that transports palates to sun-drenched Greek islands.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.8 kg / 4 pounds), backbone removed and butterflied (spatchcocked)
Herbs and Seasonings:
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetables and Additional Ingredients:
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick
- 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick
- 120 milliliters (½ cup) dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- 80 milliliters (⅓ cup) good olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to a scorching 230°C (450°F), ensuring a perfectly crisp cooking environment.
- Create a fragrant herb infusion by pulverizing thyme, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper in a mini food processor. Gently fold the ground herbs into olive oil, allowing the flavors to meld and develop.
- Artfully arrange lemon slices across the bottom of a 30cm (12-inch) cast-iron skillet, creating a zesty foundation. Scatter chopped onions and minced garlic over the citrus layer.
- Position the chicken skin-side down in the skillet, generously brushing with half of the herb-infused oil. Carefully flip the chicken, patting the skin dry with paper towels, then lavish with the remaining aromatic oil.
- Slide the skillet into the preheated oven, roasting for 30 minutes until the skin turns golden and crisp.
- Delicately pour white wine into the skillet, carefully avoiding the chicken, and continue roasting for an additional 10–15 minutes. Verify doneness by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, aiming for an internal temperature of 68–71°C (155–160°F).
- Carefully extract the skillet from the oven, shower the chicken with fresh lemon juice, and tent tightly with aluminum foil. Allow the meat to rest and redistribute its juices for 10–15 minutes.
- Carve the chicken into succulent pieces, sprinkle with a final touch of salt, and present alongside the caramelized pan juices, roasted lemon, and tender onions.
Notes
- Ensure a crispy, golden skin by thoroughly patting the chicken dry before roasting, preventing moisture from sabotaging your perfect exterior.
- Preserve the skin’s crunchiness by adding wine to the pan instead of directly over the chicken, allowing flavors to meld without compromising texture.
- Guarantee perfectly cooked meat by using a meat thermometer to check the breast’s internal temperature, aiming for the sweet spot between 68–71°C.
- Maximize juiciness and tenderness by letting the chicken rest under foil for 10–15 minutes, allowing internal juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
- Leverage a cast-iron skillet’s heat-distributing magic to create an evenly cooked, moist chicken with an irresistibly crisp skin.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg