Rosemary & Lemon Roasted Chicken

Oh man...this roasted chicken is amazing.  I found and tried this recipe (originally titled Sunday's best chicken) several years ago and we adored it!  At the time, my husband, Jason, proclaimed it to be the best meal I had ever made.  And it definitely was.  For some reason though, this little beauty was tucked deep inside my recipe binder, untouched and unmade again until today.  Boy have we been missing out!  The lemon and rosemary combine together to make a delightful, yet subtle flavor, and the chicken is tender and moist.  We all loved it!  This recipe will not be tucked away any longer.  This baby is definitely going into our Sunday dinner rotation!

Rosemary & Lemon Roasted Chicken

2 to 3 medium lemons
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 roasting chicken (6 to 7 pounds)  Mine was just over 5 and it worked lovely
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1 Tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Finely grate the peel from the lemons to measure 2 Tbsp and set aside.  Coarsely chop 2 lemons.  Place chopped lemons and rosemary sprigs in the chicken cavity.

Place chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.  Brush with oil.  Combine the minced rosemary, pepper, salt, and lemon peel.  Rub over the chicken.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees, basting occasional with drippings.  Cover loosely with foil if the chicken browns too quickly...Mine did not though.

Let chicken stand for 15 minutes before carving.  Discard lemons and rosemary sprigs.

Recipe Source:  Taste of Home December/January 2010

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