Culinary SOS: Old Venice’s Greek lemon chicken

Dear SOS: Old Venice in Manhattan Beach makes excellent Greek and Italian food, but its lemon chicken, from the Greek side of the menu, is especially wonderful. I can still taste the delicious sauce. Any chance of getting the recipe? I’d love to make it for my foreign dinner group.

Phyllis Ruderman

Manhattan Beach

Dear Phyllis: Old Venice was happy to share its recipe with us, which we’ve adapted below. Enjoy!

Old Venice’s Greek lemon chicken

Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6

Note: Adapted from Old Venice in Manhattan Beach

1 (3½- to 4½-pound) chicken

Salt and pepper

2 pounds boiling potatoes

2 large lemons

Heaping tablespoon Greek oregano

1 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups water

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash and dry the chicken. Halve or quarter it and season with 1 teaspoon salt and one-half teaspoon pepper, or to taste.

2. Peel and cut the potatoes into wedges. Place them in a bowl and toss with three-fourths teaspoon each of salt and pepper, or to taste.

3. Place the chicken, skin-side down, in a roasting pan, and scatter the potatoes around it. Halve the lemons and squeeze them over the chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle over the oregano. Drizzle over the oil and water.

4. Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, then turn it skin-side up. Continue to roast for 40 more minutes. Increase the temperature to 400 degrees and continue to roast about 8 to 10 more minutes until the chicken is golden and crisp, and a thermometer inserted deep into the thigh reads 165 degrees.

5. Cool slightly before serving. Serve the chicken and potatoes together, spooning a little sauce over each serving.

Each of 6 servings: 545 calories; 34 grams protein; 28 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 33 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 122 mg cholesterol; 2 grams sugar; 781 mg sodium.