Frank Pellegrino Jr.'s Broiled Lemon Chicken Recipe

Photo: Jennifer Causey

The coauthor of the cookbook Rao’s Classics adapts a dish served at his legendary N.Y.C. restaurant.

Broiled Lemon Chicken

Serves 6
½ cup olive oil
½ tbsp. red-wine vinegar
1 tsp. minced garlic (about 1 garlic clove)
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 1 lemon cut into wedges (about 7 lemons), divided
2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1 (2½- to 3-lb.) whole chicken, halved

1. Preheat broiler with oven rack 5 to 6 inches from heat. Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, oregano, pepper, 1 cup lemon juice and 1 tablespoon parsley in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. Place chicken halves, skin side down, on a greased rimmed baking sheet or in a greased shallow baking dish. Broil 15 minutes. Turn the halves over, then broil another 15 minutes. Remove from oven; leave the broiler on. Let chicken rest and cool slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Cut each chicken half into 4 pieces (8 pieces total) with a sharp knife. Return chicken pieces to the baking sheet.

4. Whisk reserved olive-oil mixture to blend. Pour mixture over chicken pieces; broil until legs and wings are golden brown, crispy and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove legs and wings from oven, and broil remaining pieces until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 165°, about 4 more minutes.

5. Transfer chicken to a warmed serving platter, then top with sauce from baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.

Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes