Everybody’s favourite Sunday Dinner is Roast Chicken
One of the most common, most delicious and easiest to prepare ‘Sunday type dinners’ is roast chicken. It’s hard to think of a more comforting and appetizing aroma and I’ve got to tell you… it’s really easy to prepare. All you need is a good looking three or four pound whole chicken, some of your favourite veggies and your kitchen work horse, a ten inch cast iron frying pan. If you prefer, a good quality, oven-proof non-stick pan works in stead.
Two key Veteran Moves combine to add ease to prepping this great meal. First, slice a lemon in half and stuff the well-seasoned inner cavity of your chicken with it locking several sprigs of fresh herbs between the two halves. This will add terrific flavour to the juices this chicken will release as it cooks. Second, preheat the pan in the oven first. Cast iron is a great cooking medium because the heat is distributed so evenly and consistently. But, it heats up slowly and unevenly and so it’s best to put it in your oven to preheat before adding your chicken. Just be careful removing it from the oven and have everything ready for the pan so you can get everything back into the oven as quick as possible.
You’ll find dozens of recipes for roasting chicken in a cast iron pan and each will have a unique seasoning mix. Up to you but, for my money, some salt, pepper, olive oil and some fresh herbs and lemon are very hard to beat and soooo easy! Also, the veggies you choose really are up to you but choose mainly root vegetables like potatoes, parsnips, turnips, beets, onions and beans which can take the heat while the chicken gets up to a safe internal cooked temperature.
INGREDIENTS 1 3-4 lb whole chicken 1 large yellow onion, chopped 1 large sweet potato chopped 1 lb green beans Olive Oil Lemon 2 garlic cloves, minced Kosher salt Ground pepper Fresh thyme Fresh RosemaryPreheat 10 inch cast iron frying pan to 450 F (can use an oven proof non-stick panbut only if it has been rated for heat above 400 degrees)Toss chopped onion, green beans,and sweet potatoes with garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil Pat chicken dry with paper towelSprinkle cavity of chicken with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oilUse your hands to thoroughly rub seasoning all around the cavity of the chickenCut lemon in half and put first half as far inside the cavity as possible with the cut side downNext, stuff two or three each sprigs of thyme and rosemary into the cavity and top with the other half of the lemon cut side facing inside the chicken effectively plugging the cavityGenerously season all over the whole chicken with salt and pepper and rub in a drizzle of olive oil making sure all surfaces have been seasonedCarefully remove the very hot pan from the oven, drizzle with olive oil and place prepared chicken in itCarefully surround chicken with seasoned veggiesReturn the pan back into the hot oven, reduce heat to 400 and cook for 50-60 minutes…… or until a meat thermometer reads at least 165 F in the thickest part of the thighWatch the chicken and veggies as they cook…. if you feel they’re burning and there’s still cooking time left, cover the veggies with a strip of aluminum foilLet the chicken stand for about 10 minutes before carving, use a slotted spoon to remove the veggies, cover them and keep warm with aluminum foilSkim off the fat and pour the remaining juice into a small sauce pan at medium heatAugment the juice with approximately 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock, bring to a boil and stir well letting the gravy thicken…If you wish, you can thicken gravy by whisking in approximately 1 tablespoon flourWhen ready to serve the drumstick should come right off and the breast should be easy to carveServe with the skin on or off… it’s up to you!
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Great instructions and super pictures 😊
Thanks Sarah…it was a revelation for me the day I learned how easy roasting a chicken could be 🙂