Lemon Chicken

I recently started receiving emails from a site called ziplist. They have various websites with recipes that are posted and you can save them to a recipe box and generate shopping lists based on what you plan to cook. There are plenty of sites out there similar to that one but I got an email the other day with a picture for lemon chicken that called my name. It also allowed me to use some fresh rosemary from the ever growing rosemary bush in our backyard. Somehow the huge sprig didn't make a dent. I have never made anything with the bone or skin but it turned out nice and crispy despite omitting the additional butter the recipe called for. I used only chicken thighs and they turned out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Jason ate his down to the bone and claimed this was the best chicken dish I have ever made! Overall this was a big success.

Lemon Chicken
Serves 4-6
Slightly adapted from: Simply Recipes

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds chicken parts (thighs and legs recommended), skin-on, bone-in, trimmed of excess fat2 Tbsp lemon zest

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Lemon slices for garnish

Directions:
Place lemon juice, lemon peel, garlic, thyme, rosemary, olive oil salt, and pepper in a small bowl, whisk to combine. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut into each chicken piece one or two times by about 1/2 an inch. (This will help the marinade penetrate.) Place the chicken pieces and the marinade in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Rotate the bag so that all chicken pieces are coated with the marinade. Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the refrigerator (in case of leakage). Let marinate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a single layer in a large baking dish, skin side up. Reserve the marinade.

Bake for a total of 50 to 55 minutes, until the skins are crispy brown, and the chicken is cooked through, juices running clear (breasts have an internal temperature of 165°F and thighs 175°F). Half-way through the baking, at about the 25 minute mark, baste the chicken pieces generously with reserved marinade.

Depending on the size of the breasts, they may be ready before the thighs, so if you are cooking a mix of chicken parts, keep that in mind, you may have to take them out of the oven before the thighs.
Let rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving.

Pour the juices from the pan into a serving bowl. Use a tablespoon to skim the fat off the top (save the fat for cooking with later, or discard, but do not discard down the drain or it will solidify and clog your drain). Serve the chicken with the juices on the side or a little poured over the top of the chicken.