Lemon And Thyme Roast Chicken With An Algerian Twist Recipes

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 450°F.
• Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and slide your fingers under the skin of the breast and thighs to loosen/separate it from the flesh.
• Mash the garlic with the salt, using a fork or a mortar and pestle.
• Work the garlic/salt paste into the butter and then work in the spices; using your fingers, spread the spiced butter into the cavities between the skin and the flesh of the chicken.
• Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Season the cavity with salt and pepper and place the four lemon halves and the thyme inside.
• Roast the chicken breast side down for 15 minutes.
• Turn the chicken breast side up and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Baste frequently, using additional water and olive oil as needed.
• If the skin begins to brown too soon, cover with foil (but remove the foil about 15 minutes before the roasting time is up).
• The chicken should be done in about 90 minutes; the skin between the breasts and the legs should become almost transparent, the legs should move easily in the socket, and any juices should be clear.
• Let rest before carving.
• Strain excess fat out of the cooking juices and squeeze in some lemon juice for a lovely flavor.
• Note: Zari suggests serving with orange salads dressed with pomegranate vinaigrette and carrot salads dressed with lemon, cumin and olive oil.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry.
• In a small bowl, make a compound butter by combining the softened butter, minced thyme, garlic cloves, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
• Season the cavity of the chicken generously with salt, and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the lemon quarters, a handful of fresh thyme leaves, and the quartered onion. Place the carrot, celery and onion in the bottom of a roasting pan and place the chicken on top of the vegetables. Cross the legs and tie with kitchen twine.
• Gently lift the skin away from the chicken and spread 2 tablespoons of the softened butter mixture underneath the skin, distributing it evenly. Spread the remaining butter over the entire surface of the chicken and season generously with salt, and pepper.
• Place the chicken in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and roast the chicken until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the inner thigh, not touching the bone registers 160 to 165 degrees F, about 45 minutes. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a cutting board to rest for about 15 minutes. Tent the chicken with aluminum foil to keep warm.
• Pour the pan juices into a large glass measuring cup. Spoon the fat off the top. Add the chicken broth to the roasting pan and place over high heat. Bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Return the pan juices to the pan. Whisk the flour into the broth mixture and bring to a boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt, and pepper. Serve alongside the roast chicken.
• Roasted Chicken Variations:
• Honey-Glazed Chicken: Season the butter with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons honey.
• Soy-Ginger Chicken: Season the butter with 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, and 2 teaspoons soy sauce.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200c. Place chicken in roasting tin.
• Mix garlic, butter, salt and spices. Make a pocket between the skin and the flesh of the chicken and rub the butter mix between and on the skin.
• Squeeze the lemon juice on the skin and then stuff the chicken with the lemon quarters along with thyme.
• Season with plenty of salt and pepper and roast for 80 - 90mins.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Mix minced thyme, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Place chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, breast side up. Tuck wings under chicken; tie drumsticks together. Squeeze juice from lemon halves over chicken; sprinkle with thyme mixture., Loosely stuff chicken with squeezed lemon halves, onion, thyme sprigs and garlic. Roast 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°. (Cover loosely with foil if chicken browns too quickly.), Remove chicken from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 15 minutes before carving. Serve with lemon wedges.

Steps:

• Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment or plastic wrap. Using a mallet or rolling pin, pound each to an even thickness of 1/2 inch. Do not make them any thinner or they could dry out.
• Place chicken in a large bowl and toss with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic and the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Mix in olive oil. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Remove chicken from fridge while you heat the grill.
• Light the grill, building a hot fire, or heat your gas grill to high. Once grill is fully heated, brush breasts lightly with olive oil and place chicken on the grill. Cook until undersides are browned and chicken is about halfway cooked, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip breasts and grill until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Transfer chicken to a platter. Drizzle with oil and garnish with additional lemon juice, olive oil and basil or mint leaves.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• In a small bowl, mash the butter with one-third of the thyme leaves, the mashed garlic and the juice of half a lemon. Mix everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste as seasoning. Set aside.
• Use your hand to loosen the chicken skin away from the breast, then push most of the butter mix into the gap. Rub the rest of the butter all over the outside of the chicken.
• Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, remaining thyme leaves and stalks, and the garlic.
• Scatter the chopped carrot, onion and bay leaves over the base of a small roasting tin.
• Sit the chicken on top, breast-side up, and roast on the middle shelf for 1 hr 30 mins, basting with the buttery juices after about 40 minutes
• When the chicken is dark golden, crispy-skinned and the juices run clear, remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 5 minutes.
• Use a pair of tongs to pull the lemons, garlic and thyme out of the cavity and into the tin.
• Lift the chicken up, letting any juices dribble into the tin.
• Allow the chicken to a serving platter to rest for at least another 15 minutes.
• Optional- you can use the pan juices to make into a gravy if wished.