Simple Roast Chicken Recipe with Garlic, Lemon and Rosemary

This simple roast chicken recipe is super quick to prepare and once it is in the oven it simply needs to basted a couple of times. The chicken is basted with a simple marinade of olive oil, lemon, garlic and rosemary.

The chicken is roasted on a rack over a roasting tin giving it a great crisp skin and makes it a healthier option as the excess fat drains off.

For a simple balanced meal serve the roast chicken with boiled baby potatoes tossed in parsley and butter and a steamed vegetables of your choice.

Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking time: 1½ hours
No. of servings: 4 - 6
Pre-heat oven to 180° C (350° F)

Ingredients

1 large whole chicken 1.5-2kg (3½ to 4 pounds)
4 cloves of garlic, 2 whole and 2 roughly chopped
juice of 1 lemon, reserve 1 squeezed lemon half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 whole rosemary sprigs
¼ cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Prepare the marinade by combining the chopped rosemary, chopped garlic, lemon juice and olive oil with salt and pepper to taste. Place in a blender and whiz.
Wash the chicken and pat it dry.
Rub the body cavity with salt and pepper.
Place the squeezed ½ lemon in the cavity together with the 2 whole garlic cloves and the sprigs of rosemary.
Truss the chicken (optional).
Baste the chicken with the marinade.
Place it on a rack over a roasting tin and pop into the pre-heated oven.
Baste the chicken with the marinade 2-3 times during the roasting.
Test with a skewer to see if the chicken is done (the juices should run clear) before serving.

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