Rao's Famous Lemon Chicken

Submitted by Lennie

"From the cookbook put out by this famous NYC restaurant. Delicious!"

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 2 (3 lb) broiler chickens, halved
• 1⁄4 cup chopped Italian parsley

• Lemon Sauce

• 2 cups fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper

directions

1. Preheat broiler for at least 15 minutes so it has its maximum heat.
2. Broil chicken halves, turning once, for about 30 minutes or until skin is golden-brown and juices run clear when you pierce the bird with a fork; don't overcook or chicken will be dry.
3. Remove chicken from broiler, but leave broiler on.
4. Using a very sharp knife, cut each half into about 6 pieces; ie, leg, thigh, wing, 3 small breast pieces.
5. Place chicken pieces on a baking sheet with sides.
6. Pour Lemon Sauce over the chicken and toss to coat well; if you have to, divide the sauce in half and do the chicken in two batches.
7. Put pan under broiler and broil chicken for 3 minutes; turn pieces and broil for 1 minute more.
8. Place chicken pieces on a large, warmed, serving platter.
9. Pour sauce remaining in pan into a saucepan and put on stove on high heat; stir in parsley; cook for 1 minute.
10. Pour over chicken and serve with lots of crusty bread to sop up sauce.
11. To make Lemon Sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk together; refrigerate until needed; whisk again before using.

Reviews

[MEAN CHEF]

I make this dish a lot. It is very lemony, but fabulous and so simple. Most of the time I grill the chicken first and finish in the broiler with the sauce. The sauce is very thin and needs crusty bread to soak it up. If you don't like lemon, you won't like this recipe.

 

[Judi Caston]

I also make this dish, I have this exact recipe, Rao demonstrated this on Martha Stewart. This makes a great grilling mop sauce for fish as well. Make up a batch, keep in 'fridge, use when you grill outside. Also works well on nice big veal chops!

 

[Dshipley0917]

Some ingredent must have been left out. I followed directions exactly and the sauce is runny as water. Taste like pure lemon juice. Not edible the way it is written.

 

[Graybert]

This tasted to bitter - if I make it again I will reduce the lemon juice by at least half. My sauce was also to runny. I'm not sure if an ingredient was left out or if it is suppose to be like this.

 

[Lennie]

Dshipley, I would just like to clarify something: no ingredients have been left out; this is copied exactly from Rao's cookbook. When I served this chicken to guests they loved it; it's unfortunate this did not suit your tastes.