Copycat Kenny Rogers Chicken

Copycat Kenny Rogers Chicken

"That is some darn good chicken—just delicious!"

Ingredients

• MARINATED CHICKEN:
• 1 lemon, quartered, plus lemon slices for garnish
• 1 (4 to 4 1/2 pound) whole chicken, patted dry
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• DRY RUB:
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Fresh thyme leaves

Directions

1. Prepare the Marinated Chicken: Place lemon quarters inside the chicken cavity and place the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. In a medium bowl, stir together lemon juice, lemon zest, soy sauce, hot sauce, ketchup, onion powder, thyme, salt, and liquid smoke until well combined.
2. Pour the lemon juice mixture over the chicken in the bag. Let it marinate at room temperature for at least 1 hour or refrigerate for up to 16 hours. Before roasting, remove from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for about 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Pat the chicken dry and brush Dijon mustard evenly over the chicken.
4. Prepare the Dry Rub: In a small bowl, mix together onion powder, salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, thyme, garlic powder, cloves, and nutmeg. Sprinkle the dry rub evenly over the chicken, pressing it firmly to adhere. Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a wire rack set inside a large-rimmed baking sheet.
5. Bake in the preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, uncovered. Then, loosely cover with foil and continue baking until the chicken is cooked through, and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast reads 160°F (71°C), about 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, rotating the chicken front to back halfway through.
6. Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before carving. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh thyme leaves.