Recipe Favorites: Greek Lemon Chicken

(Updated 12-15-2007) I'm already noticing bloggers announcing that they're taking the rest of December off. Like everyone, I'm cooking a lot less these days and spending time getting ready for Christmas. I do have a few new recipes coming during the holidays, but I'm also going to spotlight some of my favorites from the past for the rest of December.

A friendly reminder about Menu for Hope, which is happening right now! Have you seen the prizes from the Central U.S. region (with a few amazing prizes added yesterday) as well as the huge list of prizes on Chez Pim? Visit Firstgiving right now and bid on what you'd most like to win. You'll be helping the UN World Food Program send food to hungry kids in Lesotho, and you just might win something cool.

Now, on to one of my favorite recipes for roast chicken. Using olive oil, lemon, and oregano is a traditional Greek way to season roast chicken, and this specific combination was the one I arrived at after several experiments. The Penzeys Greek Seasoning is one of my favorite spice combinations from Penzeys. My Greek friends tell me that the chicken should be basted with melted butter during the last bit of cooking time to be truly Greek, but I skip that to make it a bit more South Beach Diet friendly. This chicken will taste delicious whether or not you feel like splurging on the butter.

Greek Lemon Chicken
(Makes about 6 servings, recipe created by Kalyn.)

Whole chicken, about 4-5 pounds (I used a chicken from Costco for this photo)

Marinade:
1/3 cup olive oil, good quality
1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh is best)
1 T Greek seasoning (Penzeys brand is good, or use 1 tsp each oregano, garlic powder and marjoram or any spices you like on chicken)
1 tsp. grated lemon zest (optional but recommended)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

I usually tie the chicken with string, but you don't have to. Mix marinade ingredients in small bowl. Put chicken in large zip loc bag, pour marinade over, then zip bag shut and mix well, until chicken is well coated. Put in fridge all day while you're at work.

After work, preheat oven to 450, drain marinade off and put chicken in glass or heavy metal roasting pan, breast side down. Roast about 25 minutes, then turn breast side up and baste with pan juices. Lower heat to 350 and roast about another 35-45 minutes, or until top is browned and instant read thermometer reads about 170. It usually takes about an hour and 15 minutes for a 5 pound chicken. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

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South Beach Suggestions:
Those who are South Beach Dieters should let other family members have the legs and thighs and eat the breast meat, which has less saturated fat. With that caution, this would be a great dish for the South Beach Diet. This would be great with Slow Roasted Asparagus which can cook at the same time as the chicken, and Mary's Perfect Salad Dressing on spring lettuce mix.

More Ideas for Roast Chicken:
Fine Cooking Magazine Tips for Roasting Chicken
Roast Chicken with Cilantro and Lime
Pan Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms, Onions, and Rosemary
Roasted Chicken with Kalyn's Roast Chicken Seasoning Rub
Roasted Chicken Thighs with Black Bean Garlic Marinade
Roasted Garlic Chicken from Simply Recipes
Barbara Fairchild's Spicy Roast Chicken from The Wednesday Chef
Fastest Roast Chicken from the Paupered Chef
The Best Roast Chicken Recipe from Jaden's Steamy Kitchen
Perfect Roast Chicken from FamilyStyle Food

Things you might want to know:
You can get Kalyn's recipes by e-mail.
There's a great way to print recipes on Kalyn's Kitchen.
It's easy to find out who's hosting Weekend Herb Blogging this week.
There are actual rules for Weekend Herb Blogging.
Here is another place where I write more about food.

Tags:
Food Recipes Cooking South Beach Diet Recipes
Low Carb Recipes Low Glycemic Index Recipes
Diabetes Friendly Recipes Weekend Herb Blogging