Monday, September 16, 2013

Oven Roasted Chicken

Cooking a meal large enough to get me through a few lunches has become a pretty major priority for me. With later work meetings or events or planned workouts or happy hours (let's be honest... More happy hours than gym time..) I find myself with little time at home to cook for the week. Last fall, I was constantly making large batches of soup and it always worked out perfectly: food for days and freezer meals too!

I really needed to back into that habit and thankfully, my cube mate inspired me to do so. She came to work Monday bragging about the roasted chicken she made the night before. It sounded delish! And guess who bought two chickens from Costco a few weeks back? Me!

I took the tried and true simple herb roasted chicken route and it came out beautifully. I, personally, get sick of eating chicken by itself but you came make so many great soups from the leftovers. If you're looking for ideas,  take a look at a few of my old recipes below this one, or hang tight until tomorrow because I plan on making a chicken and broccoli pasta. Mmm mm.


Recipe:
3 to 4 pound chicken, neck removed, rinsed and patted dry
2 medium onions, quartered
5 to 6 cloves of garlic, pealed and smashed
2 tbsps of butter, sliced thin
A few sprigs of thyme
1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease your favorite roasting pan and lay half of the onions on the bottom of the pan.
2) Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the remaining onions, lemon, thyme and garlic.
3) Set the chicken in pan, breast side up. Slip your hand between the skin and the breast meat and slide the slices of butter evenly underneath. This will melt and help to create that amazingly delicious crispy skin that we all love.
4) Lastly, season the top of the bird with salt and pepper and pop it in the oven. Bake uncovered for about an hour and 15 minutes. Check periodically to ensure skin is not burning, if so, cover with foil. Bake until the chicken reaches and internal temp of 180 degrees.

Chicken Leftover Ideas:
~ Chicken Minestrone Soup
~ Chicken and Rice Soup
~ Chicken and Barley Soup
~ Greek Chicken Quinoa

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