Roast Chicken With Lemon, Oregano & Vermouth

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 (3 -3 1/2 lb) roasting chickens, cut into 8 pieces
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons dry vermouth or 2 tablespoons wine
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons water

Recipe

• 1 heat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. coat the chicken with 3 teaspoons of the oil. put the pieces, skin-side up, in a large roasting pan. sprinkle the chicken with the oregano, 1 tablespoon of the vermouth, the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. drizzle the remaining teaspoon oil over the top.
• 2 cook the chicken until the breasts are just done, about 25 minutes. remove the breasts and wings and continue to cook the drumsticks and thighs until done, about 5 minutes longer.
• 3 heat the broiler. remove the roasting pan from the oven; return the breasts and wings to the pan. broil the chicken until golden brown, about 2 minutes. remove the chicken from the pan.
• 4 pour off the fat from the roasting pan. set the pan over moderate heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon vermouth and the water. bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits. boil until reduced to approximately 2 tablespoons. add any accumulated juices from the chicken. spoon the sauce over the chicken.
• 5 variation: if you prefer all or dark meat, use four bone-in breasts, eight drumsticks, or eight thighs instead. cook the breasts for twenty-five minutes or the legs for thirty minutes.
• 6 variation #2: i usually skin the chicken and it turns out just as wonderfully as the original.