Rao's Lemon Chicken

There is a fabulous restaurant in New York called Rao's. It is almost impossible to get a reservation there unless you know someone. Most of the patrons are regulars and have standing reservations whether they are , weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly well you get the idea. Of course they make room for celebrities etc. My personal favorite is Rao's Famous Lemon Chicken . When I saw the Rao's cookbook at the butcher shop, I bought immediately. I was so excited to try and make that delicious food in my house for my friend and family. The first recipe I tried was Rao's Famous Lemon Chicken.

Serves 6

2 2 1/2 to 3 pound broiling chickens, halved
3/4 cup chopped parsley
Lemon Sauce- recipe to follow
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1. Preheat broiler
2. Broil chicken Halves,turning once for about 30 minutes or until skin is golden brown and juices run clear when bird is pierce with a fork.

3 Remove chicken from broiler leaving broiler on. Using a very sharp knife, cut each half into about 6 pieces (leg, thigh, wing , 3 small breast pieces).

4. place chicken on a baking sheet with sides of a size that can fit into the broiler. Pour Lemon Sauce over the chicken and toss to coat well. If necessary, divide sauce in half and do this in two batches.

5. Return to broiler and broil for 3 minutes. Turn each piece and broil for and additional minute.

6. Remove from broiler and portion each chicken onto each of the 6 warm serving plates.

7. Pour sauce into a heavy saucepan. Stir in parsley and place over high heat for 1 minute. Pour an equal amount of sauce over each chicken and serve with lots of crusty bread to absorb the sauce.

Lemon Sauce

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2 cups fresh lemon juice

1 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Whisk together juice, oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano and salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Whisk or shake vigorously before using.

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I made this recipe many times always to rave reviews. Then one day i went to the butcher and staring me in the face was Rao's Lemon Sauce. Now when I prepare this dish this is how it goes.

Buy 2 whole chicken and have the butcher cut it into ten pieces each, have them cut the breasts in half .

Buy Rao's Homemade Lemon Chicken Marinade

Broil the chicken for a liitle more than a half an hour turning once

Pour the Marinade ove the chicken

Place chicken back in the broiler for 4 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread and enjoy.