This delicious Barefoot Contessa Tuscan Lemon Chicken is a quick and easy meal that’s packed with vibrant flavours. The juicy, grilled chicken gets a zesty kick from fresh lemons and garlic. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, you can easily swap in your favourite herbs and make it your own!
Ingredients Needed
- 1 (1.6 kg) whole chicken, flattened
- Kosher salt
- 80 ml good olive oil
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
- 80 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, halved
How To Make Tuscan Lemon Chicken
- Prepare the Chicken: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of kosher salt on each side of the flattened chicken.
- Make the Marinade: In a ceramic or glass dish, combine 80 ml olive oil, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 80 ml lemon juice, minced garlic, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Add the chicken and turn it to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning the chicken once or twice.
- Prepare the Grill: For a charcoal grill, light a hot fire on one side, leaving a cooler side. For a gas grill, set it to low heat. Spread ¼ of the coals across the other side of the grill.
- Grill the Chicken: Place the chicken, skin side up, on the cooler side of the grill and weigh it down with a dish. Grill for 12 to 15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weigh it down again, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Place the lemon halves (cut side down) on the cool side of the grill during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the chicken from the grill and cover with aluminium foil to rest for 5 minutes. Cut the chicken into quarters, sprinkle with a little extra salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh lemons: For the best flavour, always use freshly squeezed lemon juice and freshly grated zest. This will give the chicken a bright and zesty kick.
- Don’t skip marinating: Marinating the chicken for at least 4 hours (or overnight) helps the flavours to soak in and ensures a juicy, tender chicken.
- Weigh down the chicken: Using a dish to weigh down the chicken while grilling helps it cook evenly and gives it a crispy, golden skin.
- Grill on indirect heat: Place the chicken on the cooler side of the grill to cook it slowly and ensure it’s cooked through without burning.
- Let the chicken rest: After grilling, cover the chicken with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute, making it more tender and juicy.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store Tuscan Lemon Chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Wrap Tuscan Lemon Chicken tightly in foil or plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: To reheat, warm Tuscan Lemon Chicken in a preheated oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat it on the grill for a few minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 263g)
- Calories: 525
- Total Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
- Sodium: 1,179mg
- Potassium: 1,179mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 5g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 1g
- Protein: 97g
Try More Recipes:
Barefoot Contessa Tuscan Lemon Chicken
Description
This delicious Barefoot Contessa Tuscan Lemon Chicken is a quick and easy meal that’s packed with vibrant flavours. The juicy, grilled chicken gets a zesty kick from fresh lemons and garlic. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, you can easily swap in your favourite herbs and make it your own!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of kosher salt on each side of the flattened chicken.
- Make the Marinade: In a ceramic or glass dish, combine 80 ml olive oil, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 80 ml lemon juice, minced garlic, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Add the chicken and turn it to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning the chicken once or twice.
- Prepare the Grill: For a charcoal grill, light a hot fire on one side, leaving a cooler side. For a gas grill, set it to low heat. Spread ¼ of the coals across the other side of the grill.
- Grill the Chicken: Place the chicken, skin side up, on the cooler side of the grill and weigh it down with a dish. Grill for 12 to 15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weigh it down again, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Place the lemon halves (cut side down) on the cool side of the grill during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the chicken from the grill and cover with aluminium foil to rest for 5 minutes. Cut the chicken into quarters, sprinkle with a little extra salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.
Notes
- Use fresh lemons: For the best flavour, always use freshly squeezed lemon juice and freshly grated zest. This will give the chicken a bright and zesty kick.
- Don’t skip marinating: Marinating the chicken for at least 4 hours (or overnight) helps the flavours to soak in and ensures a juicy, tender chicken.
- Weigh down the chicken: Using a dish to weigh down the chicken while grilling helps it cook evenly and gives it a crispy, golden skin.
- Grill on indirect heat: Place the chicken on the cooler side of the grill to cook it slowly and ensure it’s cooked through without burning.
- Let the chicken rest: After grilling, cover the chicken with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute, making it more tender and juicy.
Barefoot Contessa Tuscan Lemon Chicken