Ingredients
- 3-3 1/2-pound whole broiler-fryer chicken
- 15 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Pepper
- Snipped fresh parsley (optional)
Directions
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Rinse chicken; pat dry. Flatten 5 of the garlic cloves and place inside the body cavity of chicken. Skewer neck skin to back; tie legs to tail. Twist wings under back. Combine the minced garlic and salt. Brush chicken with oil, then rub garlic-salt mixture onto the skin.
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Place chicken, breast-side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. In another ovenproof pan combine remaining garlic cloves and the water. Place both pans in a preheated 375 degrees F oven and roast, uncovered, for 1 1/4-1 1/2 hours, or till juices run clear and the drumsticks move easily in their sockets. Spoon drippings over chicken occasionally. If necessary, cover chicken with foil for the last 20 minutes of roasting to prevent overbrowning. Check garlic cloves to be sure they have enough water to cook gently, but not burn. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Let stand, covered loosely with foil, for 15 minutes before carving.
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Meanwhile, pour pan drippings into a large measuring cup. Also scrape browned bits into the cup. Skim and reserve fat from drippings. Place 1/4 cup of the fat into a medium saucepan (discard remaining fat). Stir in flour; cook and stir for 2 minutes, or till flour is golden. To the remaining drippings in measuring cup, add the cooked garlic cloves and their cooking water and enough chicken broth to equal 2 cups. Add all at once to flour mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in lemon juice and season to taste with pepper. If desired, garnish with parsley.