If you could only make one chicken recipe before you DIE, this would be the one!

**Gracie** · 06-13-2002, 07:37 PM

This recipe is from the WW cookbook, Take Out Tonight. This chicken is the best I've had in ages! I am rating it a 21 21 on a scale of 1 - 10.

Lemon-Garlic Roast Chicken

1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced (I used 4 really huge ones)
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. marjoram
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
4 skinless, bone-in chicken breasts (I'm sure it would be fine with boneless too)
1 pound small red potatoes, quartered (I used the teeniest ones in the bag of baby reds and left them whole)
1/2 C. water

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Combine the lemon juice, 1 T. of the oil, the garlic, oregano, marjoram, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper in a large bowl (I used a ziploc). Add the chicken, tossing well to coat and marinate 20 minutes (I marinated for 3 hours but I didn't plan that!!)
3. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/2 T. oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper in a medium bowl. Add the potatoes and toss well to coat. Place a wire rack in the center of a large rasting pan. Arrange the potatoes around the rack and roast 20 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserve marinade. Remove the potatoes from the oven and plae the chicken on the wire rack. Add the water to the reserved marinade and pour over the chicken and potatoes. Roast chicken and potatoes 20 minutes, baste with the pan juices. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the internal temperature is 170 F. (I didn't need the last 20 minutes, my chicken pieces were done. The potatoes were done, too, since they were small.)

4 servings, 6 WW points per serving

**Melman** · 06-13-2002, 07:38 PM

Wow! That sounds wonderful! I'm printing it right this second. I think this could be in my weekend cooking festivities!! Thanks bunches!!

**ebobbitt** · 06-13-2002, 07:46 PM

As I have heard nothing but good things about that cookbook, I'll be purchasing one on Tuesday. Thanks for posting the recipe.

**Susan** · 06-13-2002, 07:59 PM

Thanks for posting this! I am printing it off now! I have a freezer full of chicken breasts calling my name....

**KimKelly** · 06-13-2002, 11:36 PM

Goodness...with a review like that it's a must try! Thanks for posting it.

Kim

**SusanL** · 06-14-2002, 04:42 AM

Since we had Psycho Chicken last night, this recipe will have to wait till next week, but it sounds wonderful!! Maybe it will become another chicken icon

**Peggy C.** · 06-14-2002, 05:40 AM

I agree witha recommendation like that how can I not print it?

**Carolina68** · 06-14-2002, 06:21 AM

Yum, sounds good. I was just getting ready to start on my menu plan for next week, with a rating this high, I gotta try it!

Thanks!

**lsdesign** · 06-14-2002, 06:45 AM

Here's the lemon-garlic-herb-salt rubric that can't be beat. Reminds me of the Rosemary Chicken Skewers from June '02 without the extra effort of skewering. I'm trying this one. Thanks for posting this one, Gracie.

**HRJ** · 06-14-2002, 03:13 PM

OK, this has gotta go on the menu for the weekend -- I actually have all the ingredients on hand.

One question: are those measurements are for dried herbs? I've got oregano in my garden right now, so I'm planning to use it fresh, which would mean tripling the amount, to 3 tsp. That sounds right to me, just want to check.

Thanks for the great review!

Helene

**Gracie** · 06-14-2002, 05:22 PM

Hi Helene -

The ingredients are for dried oregano. This book has been wonderful. We've made several things out of it (I always forget I have other cookbooks when I get something new) and we've loved everything (except for the Chicken Piccata but even that was ok).

With all due respect to Psycho Chicken, which I love, this is better. I think you could even adapt the Psycho slashing technique for even more flavor (if that's possible).

Loren

**smpv** · 06-15-2002, 06:01 PM

This sounds great. I have one question. Did you marinate and cook with the skin on. The recipe doesn't specify skinless chicken breasts.

Thanks in advance.

Pat

**HRJ** · 06-15-2002, 06:26 PM

Yum, Yum, Yum. Made this for dinner tonight, and it was wonderful. I've had a series of less-than-stellar recipe experiments lately, so DH and I were both extra pleased to end up with something so good.

I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, because that's what I had in the freezer, and it worked fine -- I imagine it would be quite good with skin-on breasts, to get that nice crispy roasted chicken feel, but, of course, would have more fat.

I used fresh oregano, and threw in a little fresh rosemary, too, instead of the marjoram. I used little Yukon Gold potatoes, because I had bought a pound of them earlier in the week, and they were just excellent -- DH was going on and on about how they were "perfect roasted potatoes."

For a side, I threw a small pan of asparagus coated with just a touch of olive oil into the oven at the same time I put the chicken in.

And for dessert, I made the fresh strawberry pie from Epicurious that someone mentioned in a strawberry thread a few months back -- it's finally strawberry time here in Massachusetts!

All in all, it was a lovely dinner -- just what we needed on a dreary, rainy, cold Saturday.

Thanks again, Loren!

Helene

**ginny177** · 06-15-2002, 07:13 PM

Gracie, HRJ - I'm a little confused about the potato handling. Do you begin wth them on the rack and move them to the bottom of the baking pan when you put the chicken on the rack ?
I don't understand why in step 4 it says to "remove" the potatoes - then says to pour the marinade over the chicken and potatoes .
TIA for clarificaton.

**Gracie** · 06-16-2002, 05:51 AM

Ginny that's funny because I was confused too and I can't remember being confused by a recipe in a very long time!!

I put a rack in my roasting pan (and Pat (smpv) I used skinless breasts with bones in) and put the small potatoes on the rack by themselves for the first 20 minutes. Then I moved them to either side and put the chicken breasts in the middle of the rack. Then I basted the marinade on the chicken and on the potatoes. So my rack had potatoes on both ends and chicken in the middle.

I didn't get the "roasting on a bed of potatoes" either. I would even use this marinade method to make roasted potatoes if I wasn't making the chicken.

Loren

**Francile** · 06-16-2002, 10:06 AM

Sorry, I'm a newbie to this site. What is the WW cookbook?

**valchemist** · 06-16-2002, 10:10 AM

Francile,

I believe it is a Weight Watchers Cookbook which is available only if you belong to Weight Watchers. Someone correct me if I am wrong...I am not a member.

Welcome to the BB!

Val

**Gracie** · 06-16-2002, 05:07 PM

Not only is the cookbook only available at WW centers, it's only available in parts of the country. I had JeAnne (greysangel) send it to me from NJ since they've never heard of it up here in MA.

However, if you can find one, I would strongly recommend it.

Loren

**HRJ** · 06-16-2002, 06:11 PM

I was a little confused about the potato part, too -- what I did was place a small rack in a deep roasting pan, which left about 2 inches along the sides.

I placed the potatoes along the sides, not on the rack, and roasted them for the first 20 minutes, then just plopped the chicken onto the empty rack, poured the marinade over the whole thing, and put the pan back in the oven. Worked fine, and I didn't have to move anything around.

We had some of the leftover chicken with a spinach salad for dinner tonight. There's still enough chicken left for one more serving, and it occurred to me that it would make a GREAT chicken salad, with a little low-fat mayo/non-fat yogurt/non-fat sour cream dressing. I'll probably add some red peppers, too. So we'll get two excellent dinners and one excellent lunch from this recipe.

Helene

**Melman** · 06-16-2002, 06:36 PM

My chicken and potatoes are in the oven right this minute. Nope...I take that back. The oven just beeped and the chicken is ready. I'm not sure how the chicken actually cooked in only 20 minutes, but I checked all the pieces in a couple of different directions and it keeps saying at least 170.

I cooked the red-skinned potatoes on the roasting rack by themselves for 20 minutes. I had to read that direction a couple of time too and finally realized what it said: "Remove the potatoes from the oven and place the chicken on the wire rack." It finally hit me that all you do is take the PAN from the oven and put the chicken on the rack along with the potatoes. I was ready to remove the potatoes, too, but realized they wouldn't be done that fast.

I only tasted a tiny bit of the chicken so far since it's really part of my meals for this week. Very good...very lemon-y. After I have it for either lunch or dinner tomorrow, I'll post back.

**ginny177** · 06-16-2002, 06:41 PM

I'd like to make this recipe when my son, DIL and grandaughter(3)come for their first visit since the littlest angel was born. It looks like an easy - one pan meal (the asparagus side dish looks good, too)so I can spend my time with them and not in the kitchen.

Do you think the recipe could be increased to serve a few more of my children - if they can join us? I was considering adding more of the ingredients, but not increasing the cooking times. How does that sound ?
Thanks again !
if

**Gracie** · 06-16-2002, 07:23 PM

Ginny I think that would be fine. Just to double or triple the marinade depending on how many chicken breasts and potatoes. I agree that the cooking time should remain the same if you keep the potatoes small and the chicken pieces uniform.

Loren

**Wendy w** · 06-16-2002, 08:35 PM

Originally posted by Gracie
Not only is the cookbook only available at WW centers, it's only available in parts of the country. I had JeAnne (greysangel) send it to me from NJ since they've never heard of it up here in MA.

However, if you can find one, I would strongly recommend it.

Loren

Thanks for solving the mystery, Loren. After hearing this book praised to the heavens, I searched both half.com & Amazon and couldn't find a listing for this. Boy...JeAnne could make a little side job of this.

**Susan** · 06-20-2002, 08:16 PM

Have to chime in about this recipe too! I made it for dinner tonight and WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We all loved it! My two dds practically licked their plates! I used boneless breasts and red tatoes (quartered). I don't have a small rack so I just plopped the chix right in the middle of the roasting pan with fine results. I left mine in for the full amount of time and the chix was so tender and moist. YUM! I can't wait to eat the leftovers. I served it with a green salad and whole wheat couscous.

Thank you again for posting this wonderful recipe, Loren!

~Susan~

**Lee** · 06-23-2002, 09:49 PM

Gracie,

I made this for dinner tonight and it was awesome! Thanks!

**Gracie** · 06-24-2002, 09:45 AM

I'm so glad everyone likes this. I just had to spread the word!!

Loren

**newtricks** · 06-25-2002, 05:20 AM

Loren -

I made it and yes, it was delicious. Dh AND both ds's loved it. Roast potatoes are always a hit in my house and these were superb. Thanks!

Barbara

**Tiger** · 06-26-2002, 05:32 AM

I made this last night and DH and I both thought it was very good !
I did have a problem thought. My juices burnt off. The smoke decector went off! I threw some water into the pan and it was fine. (I'm sure I should have put in chicken broth) Did anyone have this problem? Maybe my pan was too big. But that's the only pan that will hold my rack.
Even with this problem I'll make it again, just add more marinade.
I still like psycho chicken better. But that's the only chicken recipe I let myself keep the skin on so it's not as light as this one.
Can't ever have too many good chicken recipes!!

**Peggy C.** · 06-26-2002, 05:46 AM

I made this last night and we really enjoyed it, and talk about easy! My neighbor was milling around her back yard doing some work and talking on her cordless phone and yelled in to me that I was torturing her because my dinner smelled so good! LOL!

**Tizzylish** · 06-26-2002, 11:29 AM

I made this last night and it was fantastic! I did a few changes, I first slashed the breasts and rubbed the marinade in, let it sit for 5 hours in the frig, then when it came time to roast the potatoes and chicken, instead of using a rack I used a bed of onions (my fiance loves carmalized onions), took the chicken out and the pan juices and jacked the oven up to 500 degrees to brown the onions and potatoes, it turned out so delicious! I couldn't wait for the leftovers this afternoon! Thank you for passing on such an easy and tasty recipe!

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If you could only make one chicken recipe before you DIE, this would be the one!

That sounds wonderful!!

Lemon Chix

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