Roasted Chicken with Lime and Garlic
1 3-pound whole chicken*
4 medium limes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon Lite salt
1 medium onion, cut in chunks
no-cholesterol cooking spray
rosemary sprigs
green onion pieces
* Use a quality brand preferably "using no antibiotics" while raising chickens.
** I use clean rubber gloves while handling raw chicken then clean gloves, sink and counter surfaces with an antibacterial cleaning agent.
1. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Clean hands and all surfaces chicken has made contact.
2. Halve and juice 1 lime. Combine with minced garlic.
3. Using clean fingers, loosen skin from breast meat.** Sprinkle the 2 Tbs. of lime mixture under skin. Pour remainder over surface of chicken. Sprinkle with Lite salt. Place the squeezed lime halves and onion pieces in body cavity. Pull neck skin to back of chicken to seal. Tie legs to tail. Tuck wing tips under back.
4. Place chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan sprayed with cooking spray. Add lime halves to pan.
5. Bake uncovered in oven at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer registers 180 degrees F. (If using a meat thermometer, insert in meat in center of thigh, making sure bulb does not touch bone.)
6. Garnish with roasted lime (which was placed around chicken while cooking), rosemary sprigs and green onion pieces. Goes well
with cooked carrots, boiled red potatoes, salad
and dark crusty bread.
Special Note: Because of the fat content in chicken skin, remove skin before eating. Hopefully, those at your table will follow your example. Happy eating.
