Roasted Lemon-Herb Chicken

Here's a great simple recipe utilizing chicken pieces you can readily find at the farmers' markets.  You'll need to plan ahead to brine the chicken, but after that, it's really simple to put together.  It calls for fresh herbs which are coming into season, but if all you have on hand is dried herbs, use those instead and half the measurement (or to your liking, I threw in a bit of garlic).  (It's been too long since I've shared a recipe with you, hasn't it?)  Enjoy!

Roasted Lemon-Herb Chicken

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 quarts water 
1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken parts (8 pieces)

1 3/4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

The night before: Combine the lemon juice, salt and water in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The next day: Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. In a clean large bowl, combine the oil, herbs and pepper. Add the chicken and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for four to six hours to marinate.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chicken pieces on a cookie sheet and bake until cooked through, about 45 minutes. (Recipe from Whole Foods Market)

Also on my plate is simple roasted rosemary potatoes.  Simply cube potatoes, sprinkle kosher sale and a dash of olive oil and rosemary and toss.  Place in baking dish for 30-45 min. until fork tender.

And lastly, my favorite way to cook beet greens is this recipe for Beet Green Saute with Bacon and Walnuts.  Give it a try, you may find you actually like beets and their greens!

This post is part of Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday.