Low Carb Chicken Recipes

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken - (3 to 4 lbs), trimmed of excess
1 fat, rinsed and patted dry
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 = (or 1 tspn dried rosemary), plus
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, (optional)
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp coarsely-chopped garlic
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, quartered

Instructions:

Remove the backbone and split the chicken. Mix together the rosemary
leaves, salt, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and rub this all
over the chicken. Tuck some of it under the skin as well. Allow to
marinate, if time permits, for up to a day, refrigerated.

When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Preheat a
large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Press
the rosemary sprigs if you are using them into the skin of the chicken.
Put the remaining olive oil in the pan and wait a minute for it to heat up.
Place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down, along with any pieces of
rosemary and garlic. Weight the chicken with another skillet or use a flat
pot cover and a couple of bricks or rocks. The basic idea is to flatten
the chicken by applying a fair amount of weight evenly over its surface.

Cook over medium-high to high heat for 10 minutes; transfer, still
weighted, to the oven. Roast for 15 minutes more. Take the chicken from
the oven and remove the weight; turn the chicken over (it will now be skin
side up) and roast 10 minutes more. To check for doneness, insert an
instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; it should
read 160 to 165 degrees. Serve hot or at room temperature (refrigerate it
if you will not be serving it within the hour), with lemon wedges.

This recipe yields 6 servings; zero carbs.

Comments: The great dish of Lucca, Italy, should always be made with the
best olive oil available. I weight the chickens with a cast-iron pan and a
couple of big rocks. The only problem is that handling the hot, heavy pan
takes a steady, strong wrist, so use two hands. The effort is well worth
it: This is the simplest and best method for producing a beautiful,
crisp-skinned bird. I specify rosemary here, which is delicious. But most
herbs are equally wonderful. Try savory (in similar quantity); parsley,
basil, chervil, chives (use twice as much); or tarragon, marjoram, or thyme
(use half as much).

Servings: 6