Lemon Garlic Roasting Chicken

So what do we “Paleo people” do when we are hungry? Eat a whole chicken of course… or cow for that matter. Bill and I always look forward to a dinner that includes a whole chicken, or a whole turkey breast. We can gobble away at our delicious protein, and hopefully have some left over for the next day (yes, I said hopefully). Some left over chicken is delicious with eggs, over a salad, or simply just to snack on out of the container.

It has been smooth sailing through the Paleo Love 30 day challenge, and after posting three delicious, “gourmet” meals on Monday in support of the challenge, we wanted to follow up with another sexy and yet simple dish. For this recipe we decided on a classic pairing of lemon and garlic, with the addition of fresh rosemary-a great herb to season poultry. There was no need for salt in this recipe, but fresh ground pepper gave the meal the perfect “kick” to finish off the seasoning.

Ingredients:

1 roasting chicken
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon ground pepper

Process:

Thoroughly clean chicken including the body cavity, and remove the giblets and neck. Pat dry with paper towels. Place in a baking dish or roasting pan, breast side up.
Preheat oven to roast at 350.
In a small bowl combine garlic, rosemary, pepper, lemon zest, and olive oil.
Rub herb and oil mixture onto the entire chicken, including inside the body cavity.
Cut the left over lemon in half, and stick inside the body cavity of the bird.
Roast chicken 20-30 minutes per pound, until it has reached 170 in the breast, and the juices run clear.
Carve and serve.

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This chicken was outstanding! The lemon, garlic, and rosemary infused the chicken with wonderful flavor, not to mention the entire kitchen smelled amazing! This was a wonderful herb rub to which flavors would fit any season. This was a simple way to create a gorgeous, delicious meal that we will be sure to enjoy again soon.

As always, enjoy!