Roast Chicken with Garlic, Ginger and Lemon

My husband and I love “big chicken” night.  “Big chicken” is essentially a roasted whole chicken (usually 4-5 pounds, hence the “big” part) with crispy, golden skin and a juicy breast. The seasonings change for “big chicken” depending on my mood. This is one version that is quite tasty, the crispy chicken skin is so addictive. The citrus salt I used is a recipe from Jaden’s Steamy Kitchen (another food blog I love!), so big thanks to Jaden for that recipe! You can see it here: http://steamykitchen.com/blog/2008/06/06/asian-flavored-sea-salts/.

1 lemon, sliced

1 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, ½ t minced, the rest peeled and cut into small slices

12-14 cloves garlic, 2 cloves minced, the rest peeled

1 4 lb whole chicken

Citrus salt (see Citrus salt recipe)

Freshly ground black pepper

½ t chili paste, such as Sambal Oelek

Olive oil

 

Preheat the oven to 450°F.Remove the giblet pack and neck from the chicken. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Tuck wings under body.

Season the inside cavity with salt and pepper. Fill the cavity with the lemon, ginger slices, and whole garlic. Fold the skin over to close the opening, and then tie the legs together with a piece of kitchen twine. Put the chicken into a roasting pan. Coat the skin all over with olive oil, rub the minced garlic, minced ginger, sambal oelek, and then season with citrus salt and pepper.

Roast for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 375°F. Roast for an additional 60-65 minutes, until the juices run clear. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before you carve it.