- 2 (3 pound) whole chickens
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 lemons, halved, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, divided
- 4 rosemary sprigs, divided
- kitchen twine
- 1 cup water
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Set a sturdy wire rack in a large roasting pan.
- Remove and discard giblets from chickens. Rinse outside and the cavity of each chicken; pat dry with paper towels.
- Combine Italian seasoning, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. Rub spiced oil all over each chicken, including the cavity. Stuff 2 lemon halves, 2 garlic cloves and 2 rosemary sprigs into each cavity. Truss chicken legs with kitchen twine. Arrange chickens, breast side down, on wire rack.
- Roast for 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven and turn chickens breast side up. Add 1 cup of water to the roasting pan and return to the oven. Continue to roast, 30 to 40 minutes longer, adding more water as necessary to keep pan bottom moist. Cook until thigh juices run clear when pricked with a fork or when thermometer reads 175 degrees F (79 degrees C) in the leg/thigh and 165 degrees F (73 degrees C) in the breast.
- Transfer chickens to a cutting board; let rest 10 to 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove lemons and squeeze juice into roasting pan. Scrape pan juices into a small saucepan, skim off the fat and bring to a simmer. Carve one of the chickens as desired, and serve with the warm pan juices. Reserve remaining chicken for another meal.