Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash chicken inside and out with cold water, remove giblets, and then let chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander until it reaches room temperature (about 15 minutes). Pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to baking dish. Pour lemon juice all over chicken, inside and outside. Season with salt and pepper. Prick lemons with a fork, and roll on a countertop to get the juices flowing. Place lemons inside the cavity of the chicken. If all of the lemons won’t fit in the cavity, leave the remaining lemons in the baking dish with the chicken. Place chicken breast side down in the oven and lower heat to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, and then turn the chicken breast side up and return to oven. Bake for an additional 35 minutes or until done. Let cool before carving.

Roasted Italian Potatoes

I like these potatoes because they’re full of flavor without being fattening. There’s no butter or cheese, so they aren’t as unhealthy as, say, your run-of-the-mill mashed potatoes. But that doesn’t mean they’re bland; on the contrary, these potatoes were a perfect accent to the lemon chicken I served above.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk oil, garlic, and seasonings in a bowl. Add potatoes, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and set bowl aside; do not clean. Roast potatoes until golden brown and tender (about 30 – 40 minutes). Transfer back to bowl and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper; serve.

I hope you’ll try these out with your families. They’re relatively easy to make, healthy, and delicious. Matt loved it, as did our friends Shaun and Stephanie. I’m sure your family will love it as well.