Elise Lalor of Issaquah (WA) cooks like most cooks do.

“I just happened to have lemons so I used them,” she responded when asked why she topped her butterflied chicken with thinly sliced lemons.

Elise added the lemons, then brushed them with a blend of honey and chipotle as a final touch to her chicken, resulting in a sweet, but spicy topping.

Elise’s Butterflied Chicken with Herbs and Sticky Lemon was the Judge’s Choice at the finals of the 48th National Chicken Cooking Contest in San Antonio (TX) earlier this month.

Here’s her $10,000 winning recipe for you to try at home:

Butterflied Chicken with Herbs and Sticky Lemon

Sprinkle salt and pepper on one whole chicken, back bone and breast bone removed and flattened.  On cookie sheet, place 5 rosemary sprigs, 10 long thyme sprigs and 10 cloves garlic.  Arrange flattened chicken on top and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Place chicken in 400° F oven for 20 minutes.  Pour 1/4 cup sherry vinegar over chicken and cook additional 15 minutes.

Place thin slices from 1 whole lemon over chicken.  In small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup honey and 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers; brush over lemon slices.  Bake chicken additional 10-15 minutes, brushing with honey sauce (use foil to cover chicken if it starts to burn).  Test for doneness by inserting an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.  It should register 180° F.  Remove chicken to platter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.

Makes 4 servings.