Using lemon curd in a roasted chicken recipe is a genius idea you need to try! It takes this Lemon-Thyme Roasted Chicken with Lemon Curd Sauce to a whole other level, since you get lemon flavor both on the chicken and in the sauce. And it's so simple! Place a whole chicken into a cast-iron skillet, rub some of the lemon curd under the skin, then add fresh thyme and lemon slices on top. Mix the remaining lemon curd with chicken broth (the savory broth perfectly balances the sweetness of the lemon curd) and pour it into the bottom of the skillet with more thyme. Roast until golden brown, then use the pan drippings to make a deliciously citrusy sauce. Lemon-Thyme Roasted Chicken with Lemon Curd Sauce sounds like a special occasion dish, but it's so easy you can make it anytime!
Step 1
Heat the oven to 400°F. While the oven is heating, cut the lemon in half. Squeeze 1 tablespoon juice from one half. Reserve the juice and place the squeezed half into the chicken cavity. Cut the other half into 4 to 5 slices.
Step 2
Remove any giblets from the chicken. Place the chicken into a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Brush the chicken with the olive oil. Rub 2 tablespoons lemon curd inside the chicken cavity and under the skin. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Place 5 thyme sprigs inside the chicken cavity and tie the legs together with kitchen twine, if desired. Arrange 2 thyme sprigs around the chicken in the skillet and remove the leaves from the remaining 3 and sprinkle the leaves over the chicken. Arrange the lemon slices on the chicken. Mix the broth and remaining lemon curd and pour into the bottom of the skillet.
Step 4
Roast in the lower third of the oven for 45 minutes. Baste the chicken with the drippings. Roast for another 20 minutes or until the chicken is well browned and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. (cover the chicken with foil if it's getting too browned).
Step 5
Remove the chicken to a cutting board, cover and keep warm. Pour the drippings into a large measuring cup. Spoon off the fat. Add more broth, if needed, to make 1 1/2 cups. Whisk in the flour.
Step 6
Return the drippings mixture to the skillet. Stir in the reserved lemon juice and heat over medium-high heat to a boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook and stir until the mixture is thickened. Slice the chicken and serve with the sauce.
This nutritional information refers to each serving of the entire recipe and not just the products used as ingredients.
