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Lemon and Basil Slow Roasted Chicken

Lemon and Basil Slow Roasted Chicken

The ultimate comfort food to me is a lemon and basil slow-roasted chicken. Roasting the chicken slow & low makes the most tender & juicy meat. The lemon, basil & garlic flavors work really well together & make for a very delicious chicken dinner.

Lemon and Basil Slow-Roasted Chicken:

Ingredients:

  • 4 1/2 – 5 lb whole chicken
  • 1 medium onion – quartered
  • 1 handful of fresh basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6-8 cloves of garlic – peeled
  • 2 lemons halved
  • Garlic powder, to taste
  • Dried basil, to taste
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • Olive oil cooking spray

How to Make a Lemon and Basil Slow-Roasted Chicken

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Clean chicken. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the bird. Place onion, garlic, fresh basil, bay leaf & 1-2 lemons (halved) inside the cavity. Sprinkle the desired amount of seasonings over the entire bird evenly. Spray the bird with olive oil cooking spray.

Place chicken on a roasting tray in a tinfoil-lined roasting pan. Place the meat thermometer in the thigh of the bird making sure not to touch the bone. Roast uncovered for 3 1/2 – 4 hours until the meat thermometer reads 165-170 degrees. I start basting my bird after 2 hours and repeat every 1/2 an hour after that. My chicken turns out sticky and slightly crispy. If you want crispy skin then don’t baste for the last hour (or put it under the broiler for a few minutes right before the bird is done).

Remove from the oven and let the bird rest for AT LEAST 10 minutes before carving. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

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