Everything about Divine Lemon Chicken helps it live up to its name. From the tenderness of the meat, to the herby, refreshing seasoning, to the satisfying tastiness of the pan juices drizzled on top, it’s safe to say that every aspect of this elegant dish is just superb. Truly. No matter what you serve it with, you’ll be in dinnertime heaven. Don’t ever settle for anything other than Divine Lemon Chicken, you’ll never regret it!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, halved and sliced 1/4-inch-thick, plus 1 lemon, juiced, divided
- 1 yellow onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch-thick
- 2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 (4-pound) whole chicken, backbone removed and butterflied
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a food processor, add the thyme, the fennel seeds, the salt, and the pepper and process until it is ground.
Step 3 –Pour the olive oil into a small glass measuring cup and stir in the herb mixture. Set it aside.
Step 4 –In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, evenly place the slices from 1 of the lemons.
Step 5 –Evenly place the onions and the garlic on top of the lemon slices.
Step 6 –Place the chicken, skin-side down, on top of the onions and the garlic and brush with 1/2 of the herb oil mixture.
Step 7 –Turn the chicken, skin-side up, and pat it dry with paper towels. Brush it all over with the remaining herb oil mixture.
Step 8 –Roast the chicken for 30 minutes.
Step 9 –Pour the wine into the bottom of the skillet (not directly onto the chicken) and roast until the thickest part of the chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10-15 minutes.
Step 10 –Transfer the cast-iron skillet from the oven and drizzle the chicken with the juice from the remaining lemon.
Step 11 –Tightly cover the skillet with foil and let the chicken rest, about 10-15 minutes.
Step 12 –Cut the chicken into quarters or eighths and sprinkle with the salt.
Step 13 –Serve the chicken hot, garnished with the pan juices, the cooked lemon slices, and the cooked onions.
