Copycat Kenny Rogers Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 lemon
• 1 whole chicken
• 0.25 cups lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 0.25 cups soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.25 teaspoons liquid smoke
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather all ingredients.

2. 2

   Prepare the Marinated Chicken: Place lemon quarters inside chicken cavity; put chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Stir together lemon juice, lemon zest, soy sauce, hot sauce, ketchup, onion powder, thyme, salt, and liquid smoke in a medium bowl until combined.

3. 3

   Pour lemon juice mixture over chicken in the bag. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 1 hour or refrigerate for up to 16 hours. Remove from refrigerator, and bring to room temperature before roasting, about 1 hour.

4. 4

   Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Remove chicken from marinade, and discard marinade. Pat chicken dry, and evenly brush Dijon mustard on chicken.

5. 5

   Prepare the Dry Rub: Stir together onion powder, salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, thyme, garlic powder, cloves, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Sprinkle dry rub evenly over chicken, firmly pressing to adhere. Tuck wing tips behind shoulders. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Place chicken, breast side up, on a wire rack set inside a large-rimmed baking sheet.

6. 6

   Bake in the preheated oven at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 20 minutes, uncovered, then loosely cover with foil. Continue baking until chicken is cooked through and a thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken breast 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, rotating chicken front to back halfway through.

7. 7

   Remove from oven and place chicken on a cutting board; let chicken rest for 15 minutes.

8. 8

   Carve chicken and garnish with lemon slices and fresh thyme leaves.