Very easy preparation; very satisfactory result. A chicken, two lemons some salt & pepper and a hot oven. I mentioned this recipe to a friend. It has been a family favourite for many years, but she had never heard of Marcella. Perhaps this recipe, or quite similar ones, are quite well known. There was only one variation between my friend's preparation and Marcella's instructions. So it goes. (The last sentence is a literary reference. Anybody recognize it?)
An early direction has the bird breast-down in the pan. Then the chicken is turned over with the the encouragement to try not to puncture the skin. Unfortunately I was not able to accomplish this skill, so I didn't get to see the chicken swell up like a balloon. Too bad, but it didn't effect which was very good.
Another miscue on my part relates to the size of the lemons. They were too big for the cavity of the chicken. Next time I'll use smaller lemons.
Not much to add. Hey, you stick a couple of lemons inside a chicken and put it in the over. Pretty simple and very good result.
What I liked about this recipe:
What's not to like? A very simple and rewarding way to prepare a chicken.
What I didn't like about this recipe:
Nothing. I'll work on my bird-turning technique - gotta see the "balloon" effect.
Would I make it again?
Yes.
Comments (7)
You're quoting Vonnegut now? Is there no end to your talents?
Another example of how a few simple ingredients can lead to wonderful results!
Posted by Jerry | September 22, 2010 7:15 AM
Posted on September 22, 2010 07:15
What, no squid in the chicken cavity? ;-)
I agree with your statement, "what's not to like". Your chicken looks delicious.
Bravo!
Posted by Mindy | September 22, 2010 7:21 AM
Posted on September 22, 2010 07:21
Doug, we did this one year with our thanksgiving turkey. More lemons of course. It was so wonderful.
Posted by Deborah | September 22, 2010 7:20 PM
Posted on September 22, 2010 19:20
Doug, I am not surprised that your friend was making my chicken without knowing whose recipe it originally was. Not too long ago I caught one of those TV cooks saying on the air that she had just returned from Paris where she had learned how to make my very same chicken. Lifting recipes and recycling them as one's one is very common among cookbook writers. I have seen my recipes surface in other contexts, unattributed of course, more often than I could say. Since there is nothing I can do about it, I have no alternative but to accept it as flattery. Unremunerated, alas.
Incidentally, I don't know what size bird you are using. When I originally published the recipe, some decades ago, you could find 2 1/2 pound chickens in the market. Today 3 1/2 pounds is considered small. Bigger chickens obviously take longer to cook.
Posted by Marcella Hazan | September 24, 2010 10:13 PM
Posted on September 24, 2010 22:13
I love this recipe. Isn't the flavor of this dish amazing while using so few ingredients? It looks great Doug!
Posted by Susie L | September 25, 2010 11:28 AM
Posted on September 25, 2010 11:28
After reading and hearing so much about this recipe and its glorious results I'm going to try it today for lunch. I've got a chicken a little over a kilo and the lemons. I've been a Marcella fan for years and I can't believe I've never tried this recipe. Hope I get the "puffy" chicken results.
Buon Anno, Marcella and Victor!
Posted by Martha | January 6, 2011 3:12 AM
Posted on January 6, 2011 03:12
This was glorious! My chicken was just over a kilo so I only used one lemon. Used toothpicks to close it up and lightly tied the legs.
I cooked 20 minutes a pound @350 and another 20 min. @ 400 and it wasn't dry at all. Although I didn't get the puffy effect MH wrote about it was beautiful and I was really impressed with how the punctured lemon flavored the whole chicken.
Posted by Martha | January 7, 2011 11:24 AM
Posted on January 7, 2011 11:24