Grilled Whole Chicken with Lemon and Garlic

Use a covered grill to cook this deliciously seasoned chicken. If using a charcoal grill, you will need to add ten fresh charcoal briquettes per side if more than an hour of cooking is required.

PREP: 15 minutes GRILL: about 1 hour 15 minutes

MAKES: 4 main-dish servings

1 chicken (about 3 ½ pounds)

1 lemon

1 small bunch fresh thyme

6 garlic cloves, peeled

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1. Preheat gas grill for covered indirect grilling over medium heat. If using a charcoal grill, prepare it for covered indirect-heat grilling with drip pan as manufacturer directs.

2. Remove giblets and neck from chicken; reserve for another use. Rinse chicken with cold running water; drain well and pat dry with paper towels.

3. From lemon, grate 2 teaspoons peel. Cut lemon into quarters and set aside. Chop enough thyme to equal 1 teaspoon; reserve remaining sprigs. Into cup, crush 2 garlic cloves with garlic press; reserve remaining 4 cloves. To garlic in cup, add lemon peel, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper; set aside. Place lemon quarters, whole garlic cloves, and 3 thyme sprigs inside cavity of chicken. Reserve remaining thyme sprigs for garnish, if you like.

4. With chicken breast side up, lift wings up toward neck, then fold wing tips under back of chicken so they stay in place. With string, loosely tie legs together. Rub lemon mixture on outside of chicken.

5. Place chicken on hot grill rack over drip pan or away from the heat source on a gas grill. Cover grill and cook chicken until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced with tip of knife, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

6. Place chicken on platter; let stand 10 minutes to allow juices to set for easier carving. Cut into 8 serving pieces and garnish with thyme sprigs, if using. Remove skin from chicken before eating, if you like.

EACH SERVING WITHOUT SKIN: About 235 calories, 36g protein, 1g carbohydrate, 9g total fat (3g saturated), 109mg cholesterol, 395mg sodium