Roast Chicken With Lemon And Garlic - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 lb whole chicken
2 tbsp butter, softened
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 None lemon
2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp sea salt flakes
1 tsp cracked black pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425\u00b0F.
Wash chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of chicken backbone and discard backbone. Cut thigh and leg portions from chicken and cut wing portions from chicken. Using a knife, slice breast either side of breastbone and discard breastbone. You will have eight pieces.
Rub chicken pieces with butter. Place the thighs, wings and drumsticks, skin-side up, in an oiled, heavy-based baking dish. Place a garlic clove under each piece. Roast the chicken pieces, uncovered for 15 minutes. Refrigerate breasts until required.
Meanwhile, using a zester, remove the rind from the lemon then cut the lemon into six wedges. Combine rind, parsley, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Place the chicken breasts in the baking dish, skin-side down and roast for 10 minutes. Turn chicken breasts over and brush with pan juices. Add the lemon wedges and sprinkle chicken with rind mixture. Roast for a further 15 minutes or until chicken is browned and cooked through.