Roast Chicken with Fiery Lemon Glaze

I got this recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens January 2010 issue.  I've only made it once but I love it.  I'll give you the recipe as is and then tell you the changes I'll make next time.

Ingredients:

1 4-5 lb whole roasting chicken

4 to 6 small lemons

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp snipped fresh parsley

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 cup honey

2 to 3 small lemons, halved or quartered (optional)

Remove giblets from chicken, if present.  Place chicken in plastic bag set in shallow dish.  Slice 2 of the lemons; add to bag.  Finely shred 2 tsp peel from the remaining lemons; set aside.  Squeeze lemons to yield 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons juice for glaze.

For marinade, in bowl combine the 1/2 cup lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, garlic, 1/2 tsp of the cayenne pepper, and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper.  Pour over chicken; turn to coat.  Seal bag.  Refrigerate 8 to 12 hours; turn occasionally.

Preheat oven to 375.  Let chicken stand at room temperature 15 minutes.  Drain chicken and set aside lemon slices; discard marinade.  Pull neck skin to back and fasten with skewers.  Tie drumsticks to tail.  Twist wing tips under back.

Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.  Cover with lemon slices.  Arrange lemon halves or quarters on rack around chicken.  Roast on lowest rack, uncovered, for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine honey, shredded lemon peel, the 2 tsp lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper.  Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat, set aside.

Cut string between drumstick and reposition any lemon slices that have slid off of chicken.  continue roasting 30 to 60 minutes more, or until drumsticks move easily in their socket and chicken is no longer pink, (180 degrees), occasionally brushing with some of the honey mixture during the last 20 minutes of roasting.  If lemons begin to darken, tent loosely with foil.  Remove chicken from oven.  Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.  Pass remaining honey glaze.





 I forgot to put the quarted lemons around the chicken while cooking, so I added them at the table for eye candy.

The glaze.

Now, when they say "Fiery" Lemon Glaze, they mean it.  Next time I will probably take the cayenne in the glaze down from 1/2 tsp to 1/4, maybe even 1/8 if I'm not in a spicy mood.  Other than that, this was a delicious chicken.