I love making this dish because it is so simple, yet impressive enough for guests or a special meal. I usually make a whole chicken for Adam and me (we love the legs and wings) and then use the leftovers for a chicken cous cous salad the next day.
INGREDIENTS
- One whole chicken, cut up (or about 2 lbs chicken pieces of your choice)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Several large basil leaves
- 4 garlic cloves, bruised with the side of a knife
- Several thin lemon slices
- A few glugs of olive oil
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Place the pieces skin side up in a large baking dish. Loosen the skin on each piece of chicken and slide basil leaves between the skin and the meat. Add the bruised garlic cloves to the dish. Place a slice of lemon on top of each piece of chicken, and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake, basting occasionally (you can turn the chicken and/or the pan if you like so it browns evenly, but being lazy usually works out) for about 45 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, brush the lemon slices to the side of the chicken pieces–this will help the skin crisp up just luverly.
Adapted from Marie Simmons’s Fresh and Fast cookbook.
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