Alice Waters has been making a version of this dish at Chez Panisse since the 1970s. The Meyer lemon is what makes it work — it perfumes the entire bird from the inside out, and the juice that pools in the pan becomes the sauce. This is the kind of dish that makes people ask what you did differently.
Ingredients
- —1 whole chicken (3.5–4 lbs)
- —2 Meyer lemons
- —4 cloves garlic, smashed
- —4 sprigs fresh thyme
- —2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- —3 tbsp olive oil
- —Kosher salt and black pepper
- —1 cup chicken stock or white wine
The Key
"The resting step is non-negotiable. If you cut into the chicken immediately, all the juice runs out. Ten minutes of patience makes a dramatically better bird."
Method
Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Heat the oven to 425°F.
Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels — this is the most important step for crispy skin.
Zest one Meyer lemon and mix the zest with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Rub this mixture all over the chicken, including under the skin over the breast.
Cut both lemons in half and squeeze the juice of one half over the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the squeezed lemon halves, garlic, thyme, and rosemary.
Place the chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan or cast-iron skillet. Roast for 50–60 minutes, until the juices run clear and a thermometer reads 165°F in the thigh.
Rest the chicken for 10 minutes before carving. While it rests, deglaze the pan with the stock or wine, scraping up all the browned bits. Squeeze the remaining lemon over the pan sauce.