Dinner Perfection

I couldn't resist posting this recipe on my blog. I just prepared this for dinner tonight, and it's too good to not share. Simple roast chicken brought to the next level by adding fresh vegetables, garlic and herbs. The concept is so simple, yet the result is spectacular. Instead of using chicken cut into pieces, I cook a whole broiler chicken on a chicken stand. It keeps the chicken standing up while it cooks ( I know this sounds crazy), but the result is a golden crisp chicken on the outside, with a moist chicken inside. Best cooking invention ever. They are available online here. I stuff the chicken cavity with lemon pieces and fresh thyme, then I roast the chicken surrounded by glorious seasonal veggies on a parchment lined pan, allowing for a very easy and quick clean-up. What ends up happening is this: the chicken cooks perfectly and the veggies roast and turn into stuffing-like goodness. It's really, really good. And there is nothing to scrub. It's beautiful and delicious- there's never a single bite left-over. And that little blob of aluminum foil in the corner- that is a roasted garlic bulb- amazing. I will show you how to make it below. 

Roast Chicken with Lemon, Whole Garlic and Vegetables

Serves 4

1 broiler chicken

1 garlic bulb

1 lemon

1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs

lots of salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon paprika or sumac

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

5 carrots, peeled and grated

1 zucchini, grated

1 fennel bulb, sliced thin

a handful of baby onions, peeled

olive oil

Preheat oven 400. 

First, prepare the garlic. Cut an inch off the top of the garlic bulb, do not discard. Place both garlic pieces onto a small piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil. Wrap the foil over the garlic, enclosing it completely. Set aside.

Rinse and pat the chicken dry. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the lemon juice over both the inside and outside of the chicken. (When I refer to the inside of the chicken, I mean inside the cavity) Do not discard what's left of the lemon. Generously season the inside and outside of the chicken with salt and pepper. Stuff the lemon halves and thyme into the inside of the chicken and place the chicken on the chicken stand. If you do not have a chicken stand, use an empty soda can instead. Simply stand the chicken on the soda can. This will work just as well. Sprinkle the paprika and basil over the outside of the chicken, use your hands to spread all over. Place the chicken (on the stand) on a parchment-lined pan. Surround the chicken with all of the vegetables as pictured. Place the foil-wrapped garlic on the pan. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the veggies, and place in the oven. Bake for 1 hour. Reduce the temperature to 325 and bake for an additional hour. Turn your oven off, but keep it in the oven until ready to serve. Once the chicken has cooled, take it off the stand, discard the lemons and thyme, and cut the chicken into pieces. Unwrap the roasted garlic and squeeze it lightly to release the golden, roasted deliciousness. Now, devour. 

 Cut an inch off the top of the garlic bulb. Drizzle with olive oil

 Wrap in foil

 Garlic wrapped in foil

 Stuff the chicken cavity with lemons and thyme

 Place the chicken on a stand on parchment-lined pan and surround with veggies

 Chicken and veggies and garlic in the corner

 Out of the oven..

Roasted garlic perfection