Roasted Chicken with Meyer Lemon, Garlic, and Fresh Bay Leaves

Roasted Chicken with Meyer Lemon, Garlic, and Fresh Bay Leaves

I spent Saturday morning curled up in front of the fire, with a hot latte in my hand, while reading a pile of cookbooks I checked out from the library. My perfect kind of morning! I wanted to make something healthy and delicious yet comforting for our Sunday dinner. Luckily, I found this roasted chicken recipe in Tyler Florence’s cookbook, Dinner at my Place. I was intrigued that he used fresh bay leaves in the cavity of the bird. I’ve only added dried bay leaves to recipes in the past, and usually only to soups and stews. I loved that the bird is simply seasoned inside and out. I’ve really been trying to cook more simply lately. The aroma from the lemon, bay leaves, and thyme made the house smell terrific while the chicken roasted. The meat turned out very tender, juicy, and flavorful while the skin was crispy and delicious. My family loved this roasted chicken and it paired nicely with the smashed potatoes and wilted spinach I served it with.

Roasted Chicken with Meyer Lemon, Garlic, and Fresh Bay Leaves

How to Make a Roasted Chicken with Meyer Lemon, Garlic, and Fresh Bay Leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove chicken giblets out of the cavity and rinse the chicken. Pat dry with paper towels then drizzle some olive oil on the chicken and rub it evenly all over. Season the entire bird very well with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Season the inside of the cavity with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste then place the garlic halves, lemon halves, fresh bay leaves, and fresh thyme sprigs into the cavity. Place the bird on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.

Roasted Chicken with Meyer Lemon, Garlic, and Fresh Bay Leaves

Place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. Place the chicken into the oven and roast for 1  1/2 hours or until the temperature reaches 180 degrees and the juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the oven and let the bird rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. Enjoy.

Roasted Chicken with Meyer Lemon, Garlic, and Fresh Bay Leaves

 

Roasted Chicken with Meyer Lemon, Garlic, and Fresh Bay Leaves

 

Yield: 8  

Total Time: 90 minutes +/-

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil, more if needed
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1 large or 2 small heads of garlic, cut in half horizontally
1 Meyer lemon, cut in half
3 fresh bay leaves
4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove chicken giblets out of the cavity and rinse the chicken. Pat dry with paper towels then drizzle some olive oil on the chicken and rub it evenly all over. Season the entire bird very well with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Season the inside of the cavity with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste then place the garlic halves, lemon halves, fresh bay leaves, and fresh thyme sprigs into the cavity. Place the bird on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.

Place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. Place the chicken into the oven and roast for 1  1/2 hours or until the temperature reaches 180 degrees and the juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the oven and let the bird rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. Enjoy.

 

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

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8 Comments

  1. It sounds delicious. I used to have a fresh bay tree, I loved having fresh bay leaves. Unfortunately it died and I haven’t been able to locate another one.

  2. gorgeous bird, pam! you know, i’ve never ever purchased bay leaves, and i can’t help but feel like i’m missing out because it seems to be an ever-present ingredient in so many things that i just automatically leave out!