This idea just popped out of my elbow the other day. I love lemon, I love chicken, I love garlic, etc. Take a bird. Spatchcock it (don't know what that is? Do some homework). Put it into a pot just barely large enough to hold it (we want to minimize the amount of liquid you need). Cover it with water and add red pepper flakes, mustard seed, celery seed, 4 quartered lemons, a healthy dose of salt, dried tarragon (optional), and anything else that floats your boat. Bring this to a boil, reduce heat to a slow simmer, cover and let go for a while. How long? Aye, there's the rub. If you use a roaster bird figure on an hour and a quarter. For a fryer, 50 minutes to an hour. For game hens, perhaps as little as 30 minutes. Your best strategy is to use a thermometer. One of my most treasured kitchen tools is my electronic temperature probe. It has a transmitter and receiver, so I can go anywhere in the house. When the chicken is done (165 degrees in the thick parts), pull it out and let it rest, tented with foil, for 10-15 minutes.
