Roasted Chicken Recipe a chicken breast is less caloric than chicken thighs, but one chicken thigh, skinned, can be considered a serving.

Ingredients:

Juice of 1 lemon, plus one lemon for slicing, if desired

One 8-pound roasting chicken

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) butter

½ teaspoon salt, or more if desired

½ teaspoon pepper, or more if desired

1 unpeeled Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into pieces

1 celery stalk, cut into medium-size pieces

½ cup chopped green lettuce

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a small cup, mix together the lemon juice and 1 cup water. Set the lemon aside.

3. Wash the chicken in the lemon juice mixture. Pat dry.

4. Rub the butter over the chicken.

5. Liberally salt and pepper the chicken outside and inside.

6. Place the apple and celery in the chicken cavity. Place the chicken in a roasting pan.

7. Place an extra-large piece of aluminum foil over the chicken, leaving a generous air pocket over the top of the chicken so the foil does not touch it. Crimp the ends of the foil to the sides of the pan, creating a tent.

8. Bake the chicken in the tent for 1½ hours, partially removing the tent periodically to baste with pan juices.

9. Remove the foil and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Bake the chicken, uncovered, for 30 additional minutes.

10. Once the chicken is done (when the internal temperture reaches 160°F), remove the skin and slice for serving.

11. Serve with simple lettuce and garnish with a very thin slice of lemon, if desired.