ROASTED CHICKEN WITH PRESERVED LEMONS

Roasted Chicken With Preserved Lemons image

Provided by Mark Bittman And Sam Sifton

Time 1h45m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

2 3 1/2-pound chickens
4 preserved lemons
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons honey

Steps:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the preserved lemons into quarters and remove the rinds from the flesh, reserving both. Create a pocket between the skin and meat of each chicken breast. Slide pieces of the lemon rind, pith side down, into each pocket, two pieces per breast. Then rub the chickens with the remaining lemon flesh. Sprinkle the ground cumin over the birds and season with the salt and pepper.
Set chickens on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the chickens and spread butter over the breasts, then drizzle with the honey. Lower oven temperature to 400 degrees. Roast for 30 to 50 minutes, or until the skin is a burnished brown.
Remove from oven, and allow to rest for 15 or 20 minutes.
Reduce juice from pan over medium heat. Pour over carved chicken.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 662, UnsaturatedFat 27 grams, Carbohydrate 8 grams, Fat 47 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 51 grams, SaturatedFat 15 grams, Sodium 1024 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams