Lemon-roasted chicken and potatoes

Classic recipes from Grandma that we all love: Oven-baked chicken with potatoes

Ingredients

1 chicken (about 1,800 grams to 2 kilos

10 potatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup water
2 lemons (juice)
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 small orange
A few fresh herbs (oregano-thyme-rosemary or whichever you prefer)
Salt
Pepper
For the chicken

To make the juiciest, tastiest lemon chicken, put on gloves and get started.

Pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels.

Lightly oil the inside of the chicken with your hand and season the cavity with salt and pepper.

Cut the orange into 4 pieces and stuff the cavity. Add the herbs and garlic.

Rub the outside of the chicken with a little oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place it in the roasting pan breast-side up, just as you would a Christmas turkey.

Arrange the potatoes, cut into wedges or thick slices, around the chicken. Add salt and pepper, then pour over the lemon juice, water and olive oil.

Sprinkle with a few herbs, oregano and thyme.
Roasting

Cover the roasting pan and roast for 45’ in a well-preheated oven at 200 °C.

Remove the cover, stir the potatoes and continue roasting for about 45′, until the potatoes are very tender and coated in oil, and the chicken is browned all over.

After roasting, let the chicken rest, covered, for 15′ so it can reabsorb its juices. This keeps it juicy and tender.
Tips for success

It may seem simple, but it’s very important! Remember, never put chicken straight from the fridge into the oven, or it will turn out tough and fibrous after roasting. Leave the chicken on the counter for 30΄ to come to room temperature. Then follow all the steps in the recipe as usual.
How do you make oven-roasted chicken juicy with crispy skin?

It’s very important, first, to dry the cavity and the surface of the chicken thoroughly to remove all the moisture.

Then drizzle with a little olive oil and massage it gently over the entire surface of the chicken. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. If you like, place a lemon, orange, or mandarin cut in half in the cavity to infuse it with aroma.
Why should I tie the chicken before roasting it in the oven?

Tie the chicken so it holds its shape and keeps all its juices in while roasting.
How do I flavor the chicken?

Add your choice of herbs. Oregano and thyme are ideal.

For extra flavor, mix softened butter with herbs to make a butter paste. Lift the skin and slide your hand between the skin and the meat, spreading the butter paste underneath.

Alternatively, use the unpeeled garlic cloves in the cavity of the bird or in the roasting pan to give your dish a wonderful aroma. Roasted garlic turns into a sweet cream with a mild garlic aftertaste.

We often use this sweet garlic cream to enrich a sauce or vinaigrette.
What temperature should I roast chicken at?

Roast the chicken at the temperature recommended in each recipe. The oven must be thoroughly preheated. It’s also very important not to keep opening and closing the oven while the chicken is roasting.
How do you make chicken juicy?

After roasting the chicken, leave it to rest for 15 minutes so it can absorb the cooking juices brought to the surface by the high roasting temperature.