Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken

I love the taste and smell of lemon in any dish, it just gives a fresh twist with the all the citrus flavours. So for today's challenge while I was out picking up my kids from school I managed to pop into the supermarket and pick up some lemons, which I had originally intended to make lemon butter. (for tomorrow's recipe!)

Instead of making lemon butter I used the lemons for this simple roasted chicken dish with a twist of lemon and a dash of cayenne pepper. I would normally roast chicken the same way, layering the chicken on a bed of sliced onions and roasted garlic and pureeing the roasting juices to give it a thick gravy and just varying the marinade and herbs.

Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken

4 chicken thighs

1 lemon, juiced and sliced

1 medium onion, sliced thickly

1/2 whole garlic, leave in the skin for roasting

3/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup dry white wine/ dry sherry

30 g butter, roughly chopped

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

dash cayenne pepper

Preheat oven 180C.

1. Wash and dry the chicken. Cut the chicken thigh at the drumstick joint but not completely. Slit slightly on the drumstick and thigh.

2. Juice and slice the lemon. Arrange the sliced onion, garlic and lemon into the centre of the roasting tray.

3. Arrange the chicken on the bed of onion, garlic and lemon. Pour the lemon juice on the chicken and sprinkle the cracked black pepper, salt and cayenne pepper on the chicken. Scatter the butter around the chicken.

4. Pour the chicken stock and wine around the chicken. Bake the chicken for 35min or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and browned.

5. Remove the chicken from the oven and arrange in a casserole dish. Remove the slices of lemon. Remove the garlic skin and squeeze the roasted garlic and remaining pan juices into a pan. Using a hand blender puree the pan juices, onion and garlic. Reduce the pureed juices at medium heat and reduce till it thickens. Pour around the chicken pieces.

*Serve with rice. The roasted lemon garlic sauce can also be used as a salad dressing.