Easy Amish Lemon Chicken

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 Interestingly, among the Amish in Florida’s lone Amish settlement, yes, oranges are popular. And grapefruits. This is also true in Beeville Texas, where the Amish bishop has groves of carefully tended oranges and grapefruits growing on his property. Man, that would be so wonderful. Those oranges look so good. He can just go outside and pick them off the tree.

🙋 FAQ

In those communities, it’s not uncommon to see “orange pie “and homemade orange juice, etc.

As the Amish became more entrepreneurial in the United States Amish-owned bulk food stores and local groceries popped up. And as merchants, they would have certain fruits and vegetables shipped in, usually ones that would hold up well over time and distance. Lemons and oranges fit that bill. Many Amish consider oranges a treat. I’ve heard tales of Amish grandparents putting  orangs in Christmas stockings for children as their main holiday treat (and the Amish children would be thrilled, a stark contrast to the more materialistic instincts of non-Amish)

Lemons are another fruit that hold up pretty well in transit. So fresh squeezed lemonade became popular, and so did lemon flavorings in meat dishes.

Roast chicken among the Amish is an easy, favorite dish because it involves little more than dressing it up a bit with a few spices, perhaps some veggies, and popping it in the oven.  On a busy weekday, you can't beat that!

This roast chicken recipe has a hint of lemon to it and comes to us from a Swartzentruber Amish cook.  Lemons are something that most Amish bulk food stores sell and it's not uncommon for Amish cooks to keep some lemons on hand to add a quick dash of flavoring to a dish.

Fast forward to today, and there are plenty of Amish that shop in Walmart and IGA‘s, and other modern supermarkets. So Amish cooks are exposed to and have access to far more foods and they used to. I mean,geez, you’ll see Amish people pushing grocery carts filled with items as diverse as canola oil and Mountain Dew.  The Amish diet has definitely changed and not always for the better.

If you want some chicken baking tips, here are some good ones from the University of New Hampshire extension agent.

This lemon chicken isn't anything fancy, but that is typical of Amish cooking. Very basic, uses a lot of flavors. I mean, you could add more spices like rosemary or thyme to add a bit more flavor, but the combination of lemon and oregano in this recipe negates the need for more, I think. The chicken pairs well with peas, potatoes, carrots, corn, asparagus, or basically any other vegetable of your choosing!

🍋 Amish Lemon Chicken

• 1 whole chicken (approximately 4 pounds)
• ½ cup butter, softened
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon of oregano
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 whole lemons
• 1 tbsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper

📋 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400*F. Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven.
2. Remove the innards from the chicken and pat the chicken dry with a cloth..
3. Place breast side down in a medium roasting pan.
4. Pour the lemon juice all over the chicken, both inside and out.
5. In a small bowl, combine butter, oregano and onion powder.
6. Spread mixture all over the chicken, including the cavity.
7. Season all over with salt and pepper, including the cavity.
8. Prick 2 whole lemons three times each in three different places with a fork and place them deep in the chicken..
9. Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350*F, and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
10. Remove the roasting pan from the oven.
11. Tun the chicken breast side up.
12. Return the chicken to the oven for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.
13. Remove from the oven and let the chicken sit
14. for 10 minutes before carving.
15. Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken,

🍗 More Amish Chicken Recipes

Amish Easy Roast Chicken,

Amish Chicken with Easy Gravy

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