www.monthlymealplanner.com

Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Bay
by Jes Mostek
serves: 8
  Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

After seeing this being made on the Rachael Ray show and I just had to put it on the menu!

But, of course, I had to make a few changes as I made it, so if you'd like to see the original recipe on the Rachael Ray website, paste the following URL into your browser: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/roast-citrus-chicken-lemon-thyme-gravy-mashed-potatoes-green-beans/
Ingredients:
  1 (3 lb.)   whole cut up chicken
  8 cloves   garlic, peeled and left whole
  3   lemons
  2 c.   whole gourmet olives
  1 lg.   onion, coursely chopped
  3/4 c.   olive oil
  12   fresh bay leaves
  1/2 tsp.   salt
  1/2 tsp.   fresh cracked pepper
Directions:
  Preheat an oven to 450ºF.

Slice one of the lemons in half and juice one of the halves. Cut the remaining 2 and a half lemons into thick slices (about 4-5 slices per lemon). Coursely chop the onion and drain the olives if they are stored in anything but olive oil.

In a large, ungreased roasting pan or 9" x 13" baking pan, place the chicken, garlic, bay leaves, lemon juice and slices, olives and onion. Drizzle everything with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and transfer to the oven. Roast, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 30-35 minutes.

Be careful to avoid the pits of the olives and be sure NOT to eat the bay leaves. The fabulous flavor of the bay leaves will be absorbed by the chicken and lemons during the cooking and they are very pretty for serving, but our bodies cannot digest the stems of the bay leaves.