Here we have another all time favorite that’s true comfort food. Nobody could say no to a nicely roasted, juicy, lemony chicken and the potatoes that nest in the sauce round it. Lemon, rosemary and garlic are the perfect mates.
Ingredients 1 chicken (as large as you like according to the size of your family – or two smaller ones) 2 sprigs rosemary 2 whole cloves garlic 5 – 6 small, dried Egyptian lemons or 2 large regular lemons non-waxed Potatoes (as many as you like. You can use baby potatoes, or large ones cut up, peeled or unpeeled) 3 tablespoonfuls olive oil 3 – 4 tablespoonfuls butter or margarine Salt, pepper
Directions
Wash the chicken, the lemons, the rosemary and wash and peel the potatoes. If you are using the small, dried lemons, put them for 5 minutes in boiling water. Then prink each a few times with a fork or a skewer.
Place the chicken in a baking pan and put 3 small lemons in the cavity, together with the sprig of rosemary, one clove of garlic, salt, pepper and a couple tablespoonfuls of butter or margarine. If you are using a regular lemon, microwave it for a minute, prick it, and use this instead of the small ones.
Arrange the potatoes round the chicken, sprinkle salt and pepper over everything. Add the oil. Rub one tablespoonful of butter on the chicken and dot the potatoes with the rest of the butter. Add the rosemary sprig, the clove of garlic and the small lemons if you are using them. Juice the other lemon and add it, together with about half a cup of water.
Put the pan in a preheated oven and bake at 170oC for about an hour or an hour and a half – or a bit longer. It depends on the size of the chicken and the potatoes. It is done when the juices run clear. You shouldn’t bake the chicken at a high temperature as it tends to dry out. You can baste it with the liquid in the pan from time to time.
All you need is a nice salad to accompany the dish, and of course some feta cheese!
Enjoy!