Simple Roast Chicken with Fresh Herb Sauce
2 whole chickens (3½ pounds each), trimmed of excess fat
Olive oil cooking spray
Salt and ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
Spray the chickens all over with the cooking spray, then season them with salt and pepper. In a large roasting pan, place the chickens, breast side up, side by side. Roast, uncovered, until a meat thermometer inserted into the leg-thigh joint registers 165 degrees, about 55 minutes.
While the chickens are roasting, in a small bowl whisk the lemon juice with salt and pepper to taste, whisking until the salt is dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil, thyme and oregano, then set aside.
When the chickens are done, transfer them to a large platter and cover them loosely with foil. Let them rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pour any drippings from the roasting pan into a fat separator. Add the chicken juices from the fat separator to the herb mixture and discard the fat.
After the chicken has rested, remove and discard the skin and cut up the chicken. Whisk the juices from the platter into the herb mixture. Divide the chicken between serving plates and spoon some of the herb mixture over each portion of chicken.
Serves eight.
Nutrition values per serving: 290 calories, 13 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 1 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 0 sugar, 41 g protein, 135 mg cholesterol, 390 mg sodium.
Sara Moulton for The Associated Press