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Pollo Asado al Limón y Tomillo

Serves 4 to 6 Entree chicken, Poultry

Pollo Asado al Limón y Tomillo

Pollo Asado al Limón y Tomillo graces the Sunday tables of Spanish homes, a dish so familiar that the recipe resides more in memory than on paper. It's a staple of everyday cooking, where the comforting aroma of roasted chicken mingles with the bright citrus of lemon and the earthy scent of fresh thyme. This version is generous in spirit and portion, embodying the essence of a family meal, shared and savored together.

The dish offers a tender bite of chicken, its skin crisped to golden perfection, infused with the zesty tang of lemon and the subtle warmth of garlic. The potatoes, roasted alongside, soak up the savory juices, creating a harmony of flavors that speaks of home. This is not just a meal; it's a reminder of the simple joys found in good company and good food.

Ingredients

  • 1whole chicken — about 1.8 kg
  • 2lemons — one juiced and one halved
  • 4 sprigsfresh thyme
  • 1 headgarlic — halved crosswise
  • 5 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • 150 mldry white wine
  • 600 gsmall potatoes — halved
  • to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Begin by patting the whole chicken dry with paper towels to ensure a crisp skin. Season the chicken generously with fine sea salt and black pepper, ensuring you cover all sides. In a large oven-safe skillet or roasting pan, heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down in the hot oil and brown until the skin is golden and crisp, about 5-7 minutes per side. This step locks in the juices and adds flavor.
  2. While the chicken is browning, prepare the aromatics. Separate the garlic head into cloves, leaving them unpeeled, and slice the lemons into thick rounds. Once the chicken is browned, remove it from the skillet and set aside. In the same skillet, add the garlic cloves and lemon slices, allowing them to soften and release their flavors in the rendered fat for about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the 4 sprigs of fresh thyme to the skillet, stirring briefly to release their aroma. Pour in 150 ml of dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. This will form the base of your sauce, infusing it with depth and complexity.
  4. Return the chicken to the skillet, placing it on top of the garlic and lemon. Add the 600 g of small potatoes around the chicken, ensuring they are coated in the wine and juices. Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil and transfer it to the preheated oven.
  5. Roast the chicken in the oven until the meat is tender and the juices run clear when pierced, approximately 45 minutes. The potatoes should be tender and infused with the flavors of the lemon and thyme.
  6. Once cooked, remove the skillet from the oven. For a finishing touch, squeeze the juice of the remaining lemon over the chicken to brighten the flavors. Serve hot, ensuring each plate has a portion of chicken, potatoes, and a generous spoonful of the aromatic sauce. Enjoy with crusty bread to soak up the delicious juices.
Cover of Authentic Spanish Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Spanish Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Spanish Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Spanish volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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