Roast Lemon Chicken

ROASTED LEMON CHICKEN


1 whole chicken, 3-5 lbs. 
1-2 tsp. lemon -pepper seasoning
1 lemon
salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 c. butter, softened
Preheat oven to 425°. Remove zest from lemon and mix with softened butter. Squeeze  juice out of lemon and mix 1 T. with the butter and zest. Salt and pepper the mixture as desired. Place chicken in a roasting pan and remove the neck and gizzard; discard.


Separate the skin from the chicken starting at the neck. Avoid piercing the skin, if you can. Using your fingers, slide most of the butter under the skin. (This is messy work.)


Rub the rest of the butter all over the surface of the chicken. Place in roasting pan, breast side down. Sprinkle liberally with the lemon-pepper, and season with the salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes; then turn the chicken over. Sprinkle the rest of the lemon juice over the top and season with this side the lemon pepper and salt.


 Bake for 1 hour, until meat thermometer registers 170° or until juices run clear when the meat is pierced. Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Leftovers are good for sandwiches, pot pies or salads.


Note: I also like to roast a chicken using only garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sometimes simple is the best. De-fat the drippings by skimming the fat off the top or refrigerating until the fat solidifies. Add to a gravy mix as part or all of the required liquid and you will have a topping for mashed potatoes that will be
hard to beat.